October marks the 12th anniversary of National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM), a month to raise awareness about the importance of staying safe online at home and at work.
Created as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), the goal of NCSAM is to make sure everyone has the tools, resources, and information they need to safe and more secure online.
In their Stop. Think. Connect. infographic, NCSAM highlights how you can improve your online security with the computer devices you use.
Additionally, the infographic shares tips for connecting online, as well as managing the information you receive and post online and save to your computer device.
Check out the infographic, or if you prefer, read the text version of the infographic.
Key Takeaways: Stop. Think. Connect. Cyber Security Tips
Stop. Think. Connect. is simple actionable advice that everyone can follow to stay safer and more secure online. STOP: make sure security measures are in place. THINK: about the consequences of your actions and behaviors online. CONNECT: and enjoy the Internet.
Eighty-two percent of young adults globally think keeping the Internet safe and secure is our shared responsibility.
Make the Internet safer for you and more secure for everyone by following these Stop. Think. Connect. Tips:
- Keep a clean machine. Keep all software on Internet-connected devices—including PCs, mobile phones and tablets— up-to-date to reduce risk of infection from malware.
- Get two steps ahead. Turn on two-factor authentication on accounts where available.
- When in doubt, throw it out. Links in email, social media posts and online ads are often how cybercriminals try to seal your personal information. Even if you know the source, if something looks suspicious, delete it.
- Share with care. What you post can last a lifetime. Before posting something online, think about how it could perceived now and in the future.
Globally, young adults are clear on the roles everyone should play in keeping them safe and secure online:
- Seventy-five percent think they themselves should be significantly involved.
- Sixty-nine percent think the commercial websites they visit and user should be significantly involved.
- Fifty-one percent think the government should be significantly involved.
- Forty-seven percent think the people they interact with on social networks should be significantly involved.
Source: 2014 Raytheon-NCSA Survey: Preparing Millennials to Lead in Cyberspace (PDF)
Everyone Can Participate in the Greater Effort
- Use the #CyberAware hashtag in all your social media posts to join the conversation.
- Register yourself and/or your organization as a Champion to support National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM).
- Join the discussion every Thursday at 3:00pm Eastern Daylight Time/noon Pacific Daylight Time throughout October using the hashtag #ChatSTC.
