What is Cybersecurity Awareness? Here’s Everything You Need To Know In 2024

Every October, cybersecurity professionals and enthusiasts come together to observe Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Supported by the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Cyber Security Alliance, this initiative encourages individuals and organizations to take responsibility for safeguarding their part of the digital world.

For many organizations, Cybersecurity Awareness Month is an ideal opportunity to highlight cybersecurity awareness and launch training programs using the wealth of available resources. However, before exploring how to make the most of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, it’s important to understand the critical role cybersecurity awareness plays in protecting employees and organizations.

Before we dive deep into this topic, let us first introduce what Cybersecurity Awareness is and why we need to observe it in our society.

What is Cybersecurity Awareness?

Cybersecurity awareness is an ongoing effort to educate and inform employees about potential cybersecurity threats. It involves staying updated on the latest risks, trends, and dangers, such as the risks of clicking on malicious links or downloading infected files—seemingly small actions that can jeopardize privacy and data integrity.

The goal of cybersecurity awareness is to foster a culture of vigilance, ensuring employees consistently act with heightened awareness to protect the organization’s IT assets.

Not every employee needs to grasp technical concepts like SPF records or DNS cache poisoning, but providing role-specific information helps keep everyone safe online—both at work and at home. Tailored training for technical and non-technical staff is the most effective way to prepare them for the cybersecurity threats relevant to their roles.

Cybersecurity awareness means different things to different teams. For the general workforce, it might focus on everyday online safety, while for IT teams, it involves managing data, permissions, and regulations. Delivering the right training to each group is crucial for building a cybersecurity awareness program that drives lasting behavior change.

Why is Cybersecurity Awareness Important?

Like safety incidents, cybersecurity incidents can come with a high cost. If you’re finding it difficult to allocate a budget for cybersecurity training, tools, or talent, consider it from a risk management perspective. With the number of cyberattacks increasing every year, the risk of not educating employees about cybersecurity grows as well.

Cybercriminals are constantly evolving their tactics to bypass the latest security tools, often targeting employees through email and web browsers. In 2021, 85% of data breaches involved human error, and 94% of malware was delivered via email.

Most of these attacks involve phishing, where fraudsters pose as legitimate sources to trick victims into revealing sensitive information like passwords or credit card details. You’ve likely seen phishing emails offering free items or prompting you to reset your password. While spam filters catch many of these, some will inevitably slip through.

Phishing is not only easy to execute but also readily accessible. Anyone with access to the dark web can purchase a phishing kit as easily as buying a book on Amazon. Your employees will eventually encounter a cyber incident, and they need to be prepared to report it to your IT or security team. Fortunately, cybersecurity awareness training is an effective defense against phishing attacks.

Preventing phishing and social engineering attacks hinges on understanding the threat. These attacks often come as emails requesting usernames, passwords, or personally identifiable information (PII). A simple rule to follow is to be skeptical of any email that asks for personal information, especially from unfamiliar senders.

This can seem overwhelming for any organization, particularly small businesses. However, the cost of not training employees is too great to ignore. According to IBM, the average data breach in the last year cost $4.24 million, with 38% of companies losing business due to breaches—accounting for over half of total financial losses.

By training your workforce to recognize these threats, you can greatly reduce the risk of a security incident. The difference could be between a costly ransomware infection and an employee reporting a suspicious email to your IT department before any damage is done.”

Cybersecurity awareness training is crucial in today’s ever-evolving digital landscape, where malicious actors are constantly developing new ways to breach a company’s defenses. From malware and phishing attacks to SQL injections and zero-day exploits, businesses face a wide range of potential threats each year.

Ongoing cybersecurity training ensures that your workforce stays informed about the latest threats while equipping them with the skills and tools to recognize and report attempted cyberattacks.

Government and Corporate Initiatives in Cybersecurity Awareness

Government Campaigns

Governments worldwide have recognized the growing threat of cybercrime and the importance of educating citizens and organizations about cybersecurity. One notable campaign is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM), launched in the U.S. in 2004 by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA).

It is held every October, this initiative promotes the importance of staying vigilant online, adopting good cyber hygiene, and understanding how to protect personal and professional digital environments.

NCSAM focuses on a range of topics each year, such as:

• Password security: Encouraging individuals to use strong, unique passwords and multi-factor authentication.
• Phishing awareness: Helping people recognize phishing scams that trick them into giving away personal information.
• Software updates: Emphasizing the importance of keeping systems, software, and devices updated to mitigate vulnerabilities.
• Public and private partnerships: Collaborating with organizations, schools, and media to spread cybersecurity awareness.

Apart from NCSAM, governments across the globe have initiated various cybersecurity frameworks, such as the European Union’s Cybersecurity Act and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which focus on enhancing security standards and data protection.

National-level organizations like the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and Australia’s Cyber Security Strategy also lead educational efforts, helping businesses and the public understand the evolving nature of cyber threats.

Corporate Initiatives

Corporations, especially those in sectors handling sensitive data like finance, healthcare, and technology, have taken significant steps to protect their assets and customer data. These initiatives are not only a defensive response to the increase in cyberattacks but also a proactive approach to maintaining trust and compliance with legal requirements.

Some key corporate measures include:

1. Cybersecurity Policies and Procedures
   • Companies implement well-defined cybersecurity policies that guide employees on secure practices. These policies often include rules around password management, email usage, data handling, and network security. They define procedures for incident response, detailing how to handle breaches, report issues, and recover data.
   • Corporations ensure that employees are regularly educated on these policies, often requiring mandatory cybersecurity training sessions.
2. Employee Training and Awareness Programs
   • Many corporations invest in training programs to ensure that all employees, regardless of their role, are aware of common cyber threats. This training covers topics like phishing detection, safe browsing, secure communication methods, and the importance of regular software updates.
   • Some companies use simulated phishing attacks to test employees’ ability to recognize phishing emails, helping identify areas that need improvement.
3. Cybersecurity Tools and Technologies
   • Corporations adopt cutting-edge tools and technologies to enhance security. This includes firewalls, intrusion detection systems, encryption tools, endpoint security solutions, and multi-factor authentication (MFA).
   • With the rise of cloud computing, many organizations are shifting to cloud-based security models, ensuring data stored in cloud environments remains protected through encryption and robust access controls.
4. Incident Response Plans
   • A strong incident response plan is crucial for mitigating the impact of a cyberattack. Corporations create detailed strategies outlining how to respond to different types of cyber incidents, such as data breaches, ransomware attacks, or denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. These plans include communication protocols, containment steps, recovery strategies, and post-incident reviews.
5. Data Privacy and Compliance
   • Companies must comply with strict regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and other regional laws that mandate data protection. These regulations enforce rigorous standards for how companies store, handle, and share personal data.
   • Compliance with such regulations also pushes corporations to invest in data protection strategies, encryption, and privacy-by-design principles.
6. Cybersecurity Partnerships and Information Sharing
   • Many corporations collaborate with government agencies, industry peers, and cybersecurity firms to stay updated on the latest threats. For example, Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs) allow organizations in specific sectors (e.g., finance, healthcare, energy) to exchange threat intelligence and best practices.
7. Third-Party Risk Management
   • In today’s interconnected digital economy, businesses rely heavily on third-party vendors, which can introduce vulnerabilities. Corporations are increasingly focusing on managing third-party risks by conducting thorough security assessments of their vendors, ensuring they meet the necessary cybersecurity standards.

The Broader Impact of Government and Corporate Efforts in Cybersecurity Awareness

The combined efforts of government campaigns and corporate initiatives are essential in building a culture of cybersecurity awareness. Governments focus on large-scale education, while corporations, due to their size and complexity, implement highly customized and sophisticated strategies to protect themselves and their customers.

These efforts complement each other, fostering a more secure digital environment for both individuals and businesses. As cyber threats continue to evolve, these initiatives serve as the foundation for a resilient cyber defense strategy, ensuring that both organizations and individuals are prepared for current and future risks.