About
Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a collaboration between government and private industry to raise awareness about digital security and empower everyone to protect their personal data from digital forms of crime. The National Cybersecurity Alliance and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) are working together to create resources and communications for organizations to talk to their employees and customers about staying safe online and encouraging actions we can all take to protect ourselves against malicious cyber actors. Learn more.
Theme
2023 marks 20 Years of Cybersecurity Awareness Month. In honor of the 20th year, we’re looking at how far security education and awareness has come in that time, and where it needs to go in order to fulfill our vision of a secure interconnected world.
Continue to stay tuned closer to October for an announcement of a brand new, evergreen security awareness theme that will be used year-round and in future Cybersecurity Awareness Months to spotlight security awareness. The year-round campaign will be officially announced in October 2023. In the meantime, we encourage you to highlight Cybersecurity Awareness Month’s key messages in the section below, when creating your campaign.
Key Messages
Rather than weekly themes, NCA and CISA will promote the following four key cybersecurity behaviors throughout October. These four key behaviors were created to be simple and actionable for both individuals and businesses. These messages will provide the basis for Cybersecurity Awareness Month resources, events and presentations:
- Create strong passwords and use a password manager
- Enable multi-factor authentication
- Update your software
- Recognize and report phishing attempts
Tone
While most of the cybersecurity news articles are about massive data breaches and hackers, it can seem overwhelming and feel like you’re powerless against it. Cybersecurity Awareness Month demonstrates that cybersecurity doesn’t have to be scary. It can be easy to adopt secure habits and even bring you some peace of mind that your virtual life is safe. We do this through the following tone of voice:
- Positive – Scare tactics don’t work. Instead of using scary “hackers in hoodies” images, show people how cybersecurity can, and should, be incorporated into their daily lives, how we can all work together and reduce cyber risks by each person, each business and each organization doing their part.
- Approachable – Cybersecurity seems like a complex subject to many, but it’s really all about people. Make it relatable and show why we need to care about this issue. It’s about practicing good cyber hygiene so we keep ourselves secure, and live with the peace of mind that our data, finances, and families are protected.
- Simple – No jargon! Avoid acronyms like “MFA”
- Back to basics – Even just practicing the basics can make a huge difference
Resources
Champions Program and Toolkit
- Sign your company up as a Champion to receive your Cybersecurity Awareness Month toolkit. Toolkit contents are listed below.
- A guide to the campaign
- Email copy to promote Cybersecurity Awareness Month to employees
- Sample press release
- Social media graphics
- Social media sample posts
- Video conference backgrounds
- Email signature
- And more!
Oh Behave: Cybersecurity Attitudes and Behaviors Report*
- Each year, the National Cybersecurity Alliance releases research to better understand the public’s security behavior and to act as a call to action for better secure habits online.
- Download the 2023 Report
Volunteer Toolkit
- We’re calling on all security professionals to share their expertise and volunteer to teach your community about online safety. Even if you don’t think of yourself as a teacher, you have something to share with your friends, neighbors, and other people in your community.
Events Calendar
- Add your Cybersecurity Awareness Month events to our partner calendar. Email info@staysafeonline.org
Speaker Requests
- Throughout October, we are offering fun, interactive group presentations for your employees on how to stay safe online. Individual presentations available for larger audiences.
Let us know about your Cybersecurity Awareness Month activities and resources.
- We want to help boost your efforts by retweeting and highlighting your free community resources in our newsletters. Contact jennifer@staysafeonline.org
Events
How to Get Involved in Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2023
Date and Time: August 9, 2023 at 2pm ET
Location: Virtual
Description: Want to learn more about how you or your organization can get involved in Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2023? Take an in-depth dive into the campaign during this special webinar presented by the National Cybersecurity Alliance and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). We’ll provide an overview of the new theme, review materials in this year’s toolkit and share tips and advice for launching your own initiatives!
Convene: Washington, D.C.
Date and Time: September 6-7, 2023 at 5pm ET
Location: The Watergate Hotel, Washington, D.C.
Description: Over two days, you will hear from renowned experts in the field, connect with industry peers, and visit with quality vendors. Experts will speak on the latest developments in security awareness, phishing campaigns, social engineering, behavioral science, managing human risk, and more exciting topics! After the event we will turn down the lights and turn up the fun for a special celebration of 20 years of Cybersecurity Awareness Month! Special guests from government, private industry and former NCA employees and partners will reunite for a special evening of cocktails, food and fun.
*Contact Cliff@staysafeonline.org for sponsorship information
A Celebration of the 20th Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Date and Time: September 7, 2023 at 5pm ET
Location: The Watergate Hotel, Washington, D.C.
Description: Join the National Cybersecurity Alliance as we celebrate 20 years of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, by reuniting leadership, staff, and partners who have championed this initiative over the past two decades. Join us for drinks, appetizers, games and views from the Top of the Gate at the Watergate Hotel!
*Contact Cliff@staysafeonline.org for sponsorship information
20 Years of Cybersecurity Awareness Month Kick-off Event
Date and Time: October 4, 2023 at 2pm ET
Location: Virtual
Description: This October marks the 20th Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and it presents the perfect moment to reflect on how far we’ve come and how much more we want to accomplish! October is dedicated to ensuring everyone has the resources to stay safe and secure online.
Still, there is more to do. The public and private sectors continue to come together to secure technology, protect critical infrastructure and bridge the cybersecurity careers gap. In honor of 20 years of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, elected officials, government leaders and industry executives will join to examine how far we’ve come and look at where we need to go.
Register:
*Contact Lucas@staysafeonline.org for sponsorship information
#CyberChat Twitter Chat
Date and Time: October 11, 2023 at 2:00pm ET
Location: Twitter
Description: This October is the 20th annual Cybersecurity Awareness Month and @staysafeonline is hosting a Twitter chat! The goal of Cybersecurity Awareness Month is to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and ensure that everyone has the information and tools they need to be safer online. This Twitter Chat will feature the month’s themes, practical steps individuals can take to better secure themselves, helpful resources, and much more! Join the Twitter chat to feature your organization’s educational information and resources, and help your followers understand how to #StaySafeOnline.
*Contact jennifer@staysafeonline.org to confirm your participation and receive a copy of the questions.
The NCA and Nasdaq Cybersecurity Summit: From the Pentagon to Main Street
Event Date and Time: October 17, 2023 at 10am ET
Location: 4 Times Square, New York, NY
Description: October 2023 marks the 20th Cybersecurity Awareness Month: a full generation of awareness as technology has rapidly evolved. Yet bolstering cybersecurity habits remains an ongoing challenge for governments, businesses of all sizes and your everyday digital citizen. Our behaviors impact all our prosperity and security.
We can honor the past 20 years of awareness by looking at our successes and identifying where work is still needed. Join the National Cybersecurity Alliance and Nasdaq for our gathering of today’s security leaders in government, industry, nonprofits and academia, where we will discuss the current state of cybersecurity and the future of the industry.
Registration: This event is invitation-only. Contact Lucas@staysafeonline.org for more details or for sponsorship information