Every October we reflect on the importance of security during Cybersecurity Awareness Month – a month dedicated to emphasising the critical role security plays in both our personal and working lives. It helps to remind us to refocus on best practices, assess emerging threats, and strengthen defences to keep pace with new developments. Now more than ever, Cybersecurity Awareness Month reminds us that staying vigilant is essential for protecting the cloud systems that power so much of our world.
What is Cybersecurity Awareness Month?
Cybersecurity Awareness Month, held each October, is a national initiative launched to raise awareness about the importance of digital security and educate individuals and organizations on protecting their online data. Established in 2004 by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance, it encourages proactive steps toward cybersecurity, such as adopting strong passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication, and staying informed about the latest cyber threats.
This year, Cybersecurity Awareness Month focuses on the phrase ‘secure our world’, where we remind ourselves the ways that we can protect ourselves and our businesses against security threats. The ‘Secure Our World’ theme involves four main focusses to build a safer digital world: use strong passwords, turn on multi-factor authentication, recognise and report phishing and update software.
Strong passwords:
- Make them long – Aim for at least 16 characters, as longer passwords are harder to crack.
- Make them random – Use mixed-case letters, numbers, and symbols, or create a memorable “passphrase” with 4–7 unrelated words like Horse Purple Hat Run Bay Lifting.
- Make them unique – Never reuse passwords across accounts to limit exposure if one is compromised.
Turn on MFA:
A strong password is essential, but MFA adds a critical layer of security. MFA requires a second form of verification, like a code from a text or authenticator app, making it much harder for hackers to access your accounts. This step is especially important for email, social media, and financial accounts, keeping your information safer—even if your password gets compromised. Enable MFA wherever it’s offered to protect your data.
Phishing:
Be wary of unexpected messages asking for personal details. Phishing attacks often come disguised as emails, texts, or calls from familiar sources but are actually attempts to steal information. Avoid clicking on suspicious links or sharing sensitive data, and if you encounter phishing, report it and delete the message. Staying vigilant and recognising phishing protects you and your data.
Update your software:
Cybercriminals can exploit outdated software to access your data, so staying up-to-date reduces this risk. Enable automatic updates when possible to keep your software secure without the hassle.
Why Cybersecurity Month Matters for the Cloud Industry
According to projections from Gartner, over 95% of new digital workloads will be launched on cloud-native platforms by 2025, a significant increase from 30% in 2021. Because of this shift, it’s arguably even more important for those businesses in the cloud industry to maintain and improve awareness during Cybersecurity Month, and all year round.
Rapid innovation brings both new opportunities and evolving security challenges. As cloud platforms grow more sophisticated, unfortunately so do the techniques used by cybercriminals to exploit them. Cybersecurity Awareness Month serves as a reminder for companies to review and strengthen their security measures to keep up with advancements. It also offers an ideal opportunity to raise team awareness of emerging threats, emphasise the importance of data protection, and prioritise continuous cybersecurity training.
Want to find out more about how your team can stay secure? Take a look at our security resources or get in touch.