National Cybersecurity Alliance calls for global industry collaboration.
The US National Cybersecurity Alliance has announced that the theme of this year’s Awareness Month is about highlighting basic cyber hygiene as technologies evolve.
Following a theme of "Secure Our World”, the 2024 campaign emphasizes the need to safeguard digital lives in the face of AI-driven risks and calls for a collective approach to improving online safety by uniting individuals, security experts, businesses, and government entities.
The campaign highlights how sharing knowledge and expertise can strengthen the broader cybersecurity community. Lisa Plaggemier, executive director at the National Cybersecurity Alliance, said: "Over the past 21 years, the cybersecurity landscape has seen exponential growth in both opportunity and risk. While advancements in technology have brought incredible convenience, they’ve also introduced complex security challenges that require vigilance and education
“By embracing simple, actionable steps and fostering collaboration within the cybersecurity community, we can equip everyone—from consumers to large enterprises—with the tools they need to protect their digital identities."
This year’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month will emphasize four key behaviors that individuals and organizations should adopt to strengthen their cybersecurity posture:
Using strong, unique passwords and a password manager
Enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) across all accounts
Updating software regularly
Identifying and reporting phishing attempts
Charley Snyder, head of security policy at Google, said: “Initiatives like Cybersecurity Awareness Month help us to zoom out and get back to basics, which we often see are the conduit for some of today's biggest security issues. It's also an annual opportunity for industry leaders to join together and talk through practices like Secure by Design and Secure by Default, which can make all the difference in taking the burden off consumers when it comes to staying safe online.”
Written by
Dan Raywood
Senior Editor
SC Media UK
Dan Raywood is a B2B journalist with more than 20 years of experience, including covering cybersecurity for the past 16 years. He has extensively covered topics from Advanced Persistent Threats and nation-state hackers to major data breaches and regulatory changes.
He has spoken at events including 44CON, Infosecurity Europe, RANT Conference, BSides Scotland, Steelcon and ESET Security Days.
Outside work, Dan enjoys supporting Tottenham Hotspur, managing mischievous cats, and sampling craft beers.
