October is Cybersecurity Month
Introduction
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, an international initiative designed to empower individuals to take proactive steps to protect their online security. This year, the theme is聽鈥淪ecure Our World,鈥�聽emphasizing the importance of safeguarding our personal data and digital interactions amid increasing cyber threats. CUNY is excited to support this global effort in partnership with the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA).
Throughout October, you will receive weekly messages on four key cybersecurity behaviors:
Week 1 鈥撀�Use Strong Passwords and a Password Manager
Week 2 鈥撀�Turn on Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Week 3 鈥撀�Recognize and Report Phishing
Week 4 鈥撀�Update your Software
Additional Resources and Tips:
In response to a NCA survey:
- 奥别别办濒测听聽to enhance your cybersecurity practices
Facts and Figures:
The National Cybersecurity Alliance 2023 Oh, Behave! report lists the following cybersecurity survey responses:
- 84%聽of people considered online safety a priority
- 翱苍濒测听38%聽of people use unique passwords for all their accounts
- About a third of respondents began using a password manager after receiving cyber training
- 79%聽of respondents were familiar with multifactor authentication and聽70%聽of those who have heard of MFA security measure know how to use it
- 翱苍濒测听36%聽of people always install software updates when they become available
- 69%聽of people express confidence in their ability to identify phishing attempts
- 51%聽of Americans actively report cybercrimes, particularly instances of phishing
Our emails and supporting information are available from the聽聽page on the CUNY web site. We also provide a growing security resources list on the聽聽website to read recent security articles or subscribe to the world鈥檚 leading, free security awareness newsletter designed for technology users.
If you have any questions about any of this information, please contact your college’s聽.