Cybersecurity Awareness and Training Tools

Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart.

The theme for 2021 is: "Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart. This theme encourages individuals and organizations to own their role in protecting their part of cyberspace. Check out this year's cybersecurity awareness topics.

2021 Cybersecurity Awareness Topics 

No matter your career or position, it is everyone's job to practice good cybersecurity. Whether on campus or at home we cannot be secure without each and every person doing their part. Online safety and security are a responsibility we all share. 

As our lives have become increasingly dependent on technology, virtually all personal and business data is kept on internet-connected platforms, which can become a gold mine for bad actors. The first full week of Cybersecurity Awareness Month will highlight best security practices and focus on general cyber hygiene to keep your information safe. Own your role in cybersecurity by starting with the basics. Creating strong passwords and using multi-factor authentication, backing up your data, and updating your software are great places to start. This is a great way to Do Your Part #BeCyberSmart!

Cybersecurity is everyone’s job. #BeCyberSmart

Phishing attacks and scams have thrived since the COVID pandemic began in 2020 and today, phishing attacks account for more than 80 percent of reported security incidents.  

Week 2 of Cybersecurity Awareness Month will stress the importance of being wary of emails, text messages, or chat boxes that come from a stranger or someone you were not expecting. Think before you click on any suspicious emails, links, or attachments, and make sure to report any suspicious emails if you can!

Think Before You Click

If you receive an enticing offer via email or text, don’t be so quick to reply or click on any links. 
Instead, go directly to the company’s website to verify it is legitimate.  If you’re unsure who an email is from—even if the details appear accurate—or if the email looks “phishy,” do not respond and do not click on any links or open any attachments found in the email as they may be infected with malware.   

Week 3 of Cybersecurity Awareness Month will highlight the Cybersecurity Career Awareness Week led by National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE). This is a week-long campaign that inspires and promotes the exploration of cybersecurity careers. Whether it’s students, veterans, or those seeking a career change, the dynamic field of cybersecurity is rapidly growing and has something for everyone.


Learn more about Cybersecurity Career Awareness week on the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education website.

Week 4 is all about making security a priority. For businesses, this means building security into products and processes. Make cybersecurity training a part of employee onboarding and equip staff with the tools they need to keep the organization safe. For individuals, keep cybersecurity at the forefront of your mind as you connect daily. Before purchasing a device or online product, do your research. When you set up a new device or app, consider your security and privacy settings and update default passwords. Cybersecurity should not be an afterthought. 

Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart.

 

Cyber Security Facts & Resources

  • 61% of data breaches used compromised credentials. (Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report)
  • 56% of IT leaders believe their employees have picked up bad cybersecurity behaviors since working from home. (Tessian)
  • More than 99.9% of Microsoft enterprise accounts that get invaded by attackers didn’t use multi-factor authentication. (ZDNet)

  • The average total cost of a data breach in 2020 was $3.86 million and took an average of 280 days to identify and contain. (IBM)

  • The use of new breach techniques has boomed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 35% of breaches having leveraged new techniques in 2020. (Cynet)
  • 88% of data breaches are caused by human error. (Tessian) 
  • Universities are at the top of the list of industries most vulnerable to cyber attacks. (Moody’s Investors Service)
  • 63% of people find connected devices ‘creepy’ in the way they collect data about people and their behaviours. (Consumers International & Internet Society)
  • Malware increased by 358% in 2020. (Help Net Security)
  • According to the FBI, phishing was the most common type of cybercrime in 2020, with the bureau receiving 241,342 complaints in 2020. (FBI)
  • Phishing attacks account for more than 80 percent of reported security incidents. (Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report)
  • 80% of companies say they have a hard time finding and hiring security talent. (Gartner)
  • By 2029, the cybersecurity job market is set to grow by 31%. (U.S. Bureau of Labor (Statistics)
  • Application Development Security, DevSecOps, Container Security, Microservices Security and Application Security Code Review are set to be the most in demand cybersecurity skills over the next five years. (Burning Glass)

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