Not all officially named awareness events are created equal. For instance, National Donut Day reminds us to celebrate with an occasional sweet treat. But let’s admit it: our lives would not significantly change if we never ate another donut. Compare this to things we can’t live without, like Cybersecurity. You might not take terms like “phishing” or “ransomware” too seriously at first. But did you know that the average cost of a data breach attack is $4.35 million and trending upward? More sobering statistics about the importance of Cybersecurity:
- Businesses experience ransomware attacks every 11 seconds (Tech Jury)
- 43% of cyberattacks target small businesses (Tech Jury)
It’s true. Without 24/7 365-day vigilance, day-to-day living would be a challenge. Celebrating with a donut would be the last thing on your mind.
In 2004, President George W. Bush declared October Cyber Awareness Month. Every U.S. President since has renewed that designation. Even with heightened awareness and security, bad actors from a variety of private and state-sponsored cyber-criminal groups continue to have success breaking into what were thought to be secure cyber vaults.
Communicators play key roles in cyber education and awareness. To build awareness, be sure to use all the channels at your disposal, from emails, infographics, messages from the C-Suite and the IT team, town halls, and creative videos and podcasts.
We continue to be impressed by the U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Agency (CISA) and the communications tools they produce for the private and public sectors. The Public Toolkit released in October 2022 is worth reviewing and using as part of the outreach to employees, vendors, and partners.
Highlights for 2022 include:
- Enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Using strong passwords and a password manager
- Recognize and report phishing
- Update software
The tip sheets are written in plain English and can be cut and pasted into your communications. In our hyper-partisan world, CISA’s work continues to be supported by all sides of the political spectrum.
“Early and often” is a guiding principle to help prevent cyber breaches.
Do you suspect a data breach or cyber attack?
Was your confidential or sensitive data stolen? CommCore can help you rebuild customer trust after a data breach or cyber attack happens. We can also help you plan your response before disaster strikes.
Learn more about our Cybersecurity Communications Planning services.
To schedule a PressureTest™ Crisis Communications Training Demo please contact our firm today.