For many, October is a month of ghosts and ghouls, witches and wizards, pirates and pumpkins. After all, it culminates in the spookiest day of the year – Halloween. However, October is also a month dedicated to a subject that can be far scarier, if ignored – Cyber Security. In an increasingly digitized world where the cyber threat landscape is constantly evolving, staying safe online and protecting our data is an absolutely necessity. Whether it’s hidden malware, phishing emails, banking scams or a data breach, the list of potential threats can seem endless.
This October, European Cyber Security Month aims to promote how protecting yourself online isn’t as frightening as it might seem, and with a whole host of European wide activities and events, 2019 is looking to be the biggest year yet.
Established in 2012, European Cyber Security Month is organized by the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA), and aims to promote the importance of information security amongst citizens and organizations, highlighting the simple steps that can be taken to protect personal, financial and/or professional data. The month is all about raising awareness, changing behaviours, and providing accessible resources in order to educate people on how to stay safe online.
European Cyber Security Month runs for the entire month of October, with each week focusing on a different topic. During the month, ENISA and its partners will be publishing reports, and organizing events and activities centered on each of the themes. This year’s themes are Cyber Hygiene, and Emerging Technology. Cyber Hygiene is all about assisting the public in establishing and maintaining daily routines and the general behaviour necessary to stay safe online. Emerging Technologies is all about staying tech savvy and safe with the latest emerging technologies.
Cyber security is a shared responsibility, and as such, ENISA has partners all across Europe helping to raise awareness of the importance of cybersecurity. During the month, events will be taking place across Europe to aid the awareness campaign, including a social engineering presentation in London, a kid’s cybersecurity roadshow in Denmark, and a traveling interactive phishing game in Belgium.
Take a look at the ECSM interactive map to find out what’s happening in your city.
In a world increasingly vulnerable to cyber-attacks, events such as European Cyber Security Month are vital in the campaign to educate and increase awareness around the importance of ensuring you are safe and secure online. Want to get involved? Head to the ECSM website to check out all the activities and events happening across Europe and join in the campaign to promote Cyber Security awareness.