Ultimate Guide to Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2024

Cyber security awareness month: a quick overview

Cybersecurity Awareness Month was first launched in October 2004 as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA).

The goal was to educate both the public and private sectors about cybersecurity and to make sure they have the tools and resources avoid cyber threats.

Originally, the focus was mainly to raise awareness about common cybersecurity threats like phishing, identity theft, and online scams.

But as the threat landscape has evolved overtime, so has scope of Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

It now includes a range of topics like securing critical infrastructure, protecting sensitive data, and responding to cyber incidents.

‍

Whats the big deal with cyber security awareness month?

Cyber Security Awareness Month is a pivotal time for organizations to reassess, reinforce, and enhance their cybersecurity strategies.

For CISOs, the month offers a unique opportunity to raise the profile of cybersecurity and shine a light on all of the hard work that usually goes unseen.

October isn't just  about raising awareness.

It's about actively engaging employees at all levels of the company so that everyone understands their role in maintaining the organization's security posture.

As the threat landscape becomes increasingly complex and threat actors more sophisticated - cybersecurity has never been more important.

So use October as a springboard to strengthen your organization's human firewall.

Capitalize on the momentum generated during this dedicated month to lay the groundwork for a more secure and resilient organization year-round.

‍

This year's theme and messages: secure our world

The theme of Cybersecurity Awareness Month is 'Secure Our World'.

As of 2023, this'll be the theme every year.

The core idea is to here is to remind people that there are simple, proven ways to protect yourself from online threats.

The campaign focuses on the top four ways to stay safe online:

• Use strong passwords and a password manager
• Turn on multi-factor authentication
• Recognize and report phishing
• Update software

🔒 Use strong passwords

Why it works

Strong passwords are the first line of defense against unauthorized access.

Weak or reused passwords are easy targets for cybercriminals who use automated tools to crack them.

A password manager generates and stores complex, unique passwords for each account...

A very simple step for reducing the risk of breaches due to password reuse or weak passwords.

Best practices for employees

• Create complex passwords: Encourage employees to use passwords that are at least 12 characters long, including a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters - ideally generated using an online tool or password manager to ensure they're truly unique.
• Use unique passwords for each account: Avoid reusing passwords across multiple accounts to prevent a breach in one system from compromising others.
• Use password manager: Promote the use of password managers to generate and store strong passwords securely, reducing the burden of remembering multiple complex passwords.

How to engage employees

• Education/workshops: Demonstrate how password managers work, explaining their benefits in practical terms.
• Password challenges: Run password strength challenges where employees can test the strength of their passwords and see how long it would take a hacker to crack them.
• Regular reminders: Send periodic reminders via email or your company intranet about the importance of updating passwords and using password managers. You may even want to set accounts to force employees to reset their passwords after a set period of a time.

👥 Turn on MFA

Why it works

Multifactor authentication (MFA) adds an additional layer of security beyond just a password.

Even if a password is compromised, MFA requires a second form of verification, such as a text message code or a fingerprint, which makes it significantly harder for attackers to gain access to an account.

Best practices for employees

• Enable MFA on all accounts: Encourage employees to activate MFA on both personal and work accounts wherever available.
• Use authenticator apps: Recommend the use of authenticator apps over SMS-based MFA for added security, as these apps are less susceptible to interception (and MFA fatigue is a real thing!)
• Stay vigilant: Educate employees to be cautious of phishing attempts that might attempt to bypass MFA by tricking users into providing their second factor.

⚙️ Update software

Why it works

Regular software updates patch vulnerabilities that could be exploited by cybercriminals.

Outdated software, including operating systems and applications, often contains security flaws that can be used as entry points for attacks.

Best practices for employees

• Enable automatic updates: Instruct employees to turn on automatic updates for their operating systems, applications, and security software to ensure they are always protected.
• Install updates promptly: Encourage employees to install updates as soon as they are available, rather than delaying or ignoring update notifications.
• Verify the source: Remind employees to download software updates only from trusted sources or directly from the official website of the software provider.

How to engage employees

• Update awareness campaigns: Run a campaign highlighting the importance of software updates, using real-world examples of breaches caused by outdated software.
• Quick tips videos: Share short, easy-to-understand video tutorials on how to enable automatic updates and why they are crucial.
• Update reminders: Use pop-up reminders or email notifications to prompt employees to update their software regularly, ensuring they don't forget.

Strategies for maximizing engagement during Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Gamify the learning experience

Why it works

Here at Hoxhunt, we know that gamified cyber security training can boost engagement by 60% and make 90% of employees feel more productive and involved.

So, why not apply this to your October activities too?

Gamification introduces elements of competition and rewards, which makes people more likely to participate.

How to implement

Introduce quizzes, leaderboards, and point-based systems where employees can earn rewards for completing cybersecurity training modules or identifying phishing attempts.

Consider organizing a company-wide cybersecurity quiz with prizes for the top performers.

Create personalized content

Why it works

If employees don't feel like your awareness efforts aren't relevant to them, they'll be unlikely to engage.

Make sure you have Cyber Security Awareness Month content that is actually personalized to employees' specific roles and responsibilities.

This increases the likelihood that they will engage.

How to implement

Develop role-specific training modules and simulations that cater to the unique cybersecurity challenges different departments face.

Use real-life examples and scenarios that employees can relate to, and encourage interactive participation through webinars, polls, and Q&A sessions.

Communicate consistently across multiple channels

Why It works

Repetition and visibility across different communication channels ensure that cybersecurity messaging reaches everyone and stays top of mind throughout the month.

Your Marketing Team wouldn't launch a high-impact campaign on just a single channel, so neither should you.

Your message is unlikely to sink in after an employee sees just a single post...

So make sure you're making use of all the channels possible and sharing content frequently.

How to implement

Use a mix of emails, intranet posts, social media updates, and physical posters to consistently communicate cybersecurity tips, upcoming events, and reminders.

Ensure that the messaging is clear, concise, and accessible to all employees.

Use social proof

Why It works

Social proof is a powerful motivator.

When employees see their peers actively participating in cybersecurity initiatives, they are more likely to join in.

How to implement

Share stories and testimonials from employees who have successfully thwarted phishing attempts or adopted better cybersecurity practices.

Highlight teams or individuals who have excelled in cybersecurity awareness activities and begin to create a culture where security-conscious behavior is the norm.

Psst... We gave away our best cyber security awareness month ideas here.

Showcasing your success: what metrics should you be tracking?

Employee engagement levels

Track participation rates in cybersecurity-related activities across the month, such as quizzes, workshops, training sessions, and events.

Whilst this obviously won't tell you much about long-term behavior change, you'll be able to share how well your Cyber Security Awareness Month activities connected with employees.

Phishing simulation success rate

Measure the percentage of employees who successfully identify and avoid phishing simulation emails.

A decrease in the number of employees falling for phishing simulations over time indicates improved awareness and effectiveness of your efforts.

If employees can catch simulations, they'll be able to catch real-life threats too.

Number of reported phishing attempts

Monitor the number of phishing attempts reported by employees.

Raising the profile of cybersecurity over the course of October should result in the reporting of real threats.

Knowledge assessment scores

Use your cybersecurity quizzes to measure the knowledge gained by employees during the month.

If you host quizzes at both the start and end of the month, you should see improved scores reflect the effectiveness of your efforts.

‍

How to apply behavioral science to encourage secure habits

Nudge theory

One key behavioral science principle you can easily incorporate into your cybersecurity efforts is the concept of "nudging".

This is where subtle cues or changes in the environment guide individuals toward making better choices - or in this case, more secure choices.

For example:

• You could send reminders to update passwords or enable two-factor authentication to prompt immediate action.
• You might offer single-click options for reporting phishing emails to reduce friction and increases compliance (P.S. this is exactly how reporting in Hoxhunt works)

‍

The psychology of phishing susceptibility (and how to combat it)

Phishing attacks often exploit psychological principles like authority, scarcity, and urgency to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information.

Phishing emails often try to create a sense of urgency, pressuring recipients to act quickly without verifying the legitimacy of the request.

Educating employees about these psychological triggers helps them recognize and resist phishing attempts.

Effective training can include:

• Phishing simulations that mimic psychological pressures, allowing employees to practice identifying and responding to phishing in a controlled environment.
• Fostering a culture where employees feel comfortable questioning suspicious requests, even from perceived authorities.

Reinforcing positive security behaviors

Reinforcing positive security behaviors is essential if you want to achieve long-term adherence to best practices.

Effective techniques include:

• Social proof: Highlighting the secure behaviors of peers encourages others to follow suit.
• Habit stacking: Tying new security behaviors to existing routines makes them easier to adopt. For instance, encourage employees to review and update their security settings every time they change their passwords.
• Bite-sized training: Regular, short training sessions that focus on a single aspect of cybersecurity can help reinforce key behaviors by making the learning process more manageable and less overwhelming. At Hoxhunt, we keep training digestible and integrate it into employees' regular workflow.

‍

How to make sure cybersecurity isn't forgotten after October

Keep up the momentum with your cybersecurity training

• Training needs to be frequent: Annual or quarterly training sessions aren't going to move the needle on human risk. Keep your training brief and frequent if you want to have a measurable impact on behavior.
• Micro-learning: Use short, targeted learning modules that employees can easily digest and apply. This keeps cybersecurity top of mind without overwhelming employees or disrupting their day-to-day work.
• Phishing simulations: Conduct regular phishing simulations to make sure training is actually translating into stronger defenses. Provide feedback and additional training for those who fall for simulated phishing attacks.

Incorporate security into everyday processes

• Security in onboarding: Include cybersecurity training in your onboarding process for new hires. This ensures that cybersecurity is embedded from day one.
• Integrate security into daily routines: Encourage employees to integrate security checks into their daily tasks, such as verifying email sources, regularly updating passwords, and reporting suspicious activities.

Maintain clear and open communication

• Regular updates from leadership: Have executives and leaders communicate the importance of cybersecurity regularly, not just during the awareness month.
• Use internal communication channels: Utilize intranet, newsletters, and messaging platforms to share ongoing cybersecurity tips, news about recent threats, and reminders about best practices.

Evaluate and reward secure behavior

• Implement a recognition program: Acknowledge and reward employees who consistently follow security protocols or who successfully identify and report phishing attempts. Recognition can be in the form of shoutouts in meetings, gift cards, or other incentives.
• Security metrics and reports: Regularly measure and report on cybersecurity. Share these metrics with the team to create accountability and demonstrate the impact of their efforts.

‍

Time for an overhaul? How to assess the effectiveness of your training

The bottom line objective of any cybersecurity awareness program should be to change behavior.

Are employees actually following best practices?

Are they vigilant?

And can they spot and report attacks?

Here at Hoxhunt, our security awareness training was specifically designed to maximize results with minimal effort by going beyond just compliance and build a foundation of security-first practices.

Here are the 4 essential phishing metrics we'd recommend looking at:

Real dwell time: the period between a genuine threat infiltrating your network and its detection by an employee.

Simulated dwell time: the same as above but for simulated attacks.

Simulated threat reporting: how many users successfully report a phishing simulation.

Real threat detection: how many users identifying genuine attempts to breach security.

If you're currently using a one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter solution, it might be time to rethink how you train employees.

Our research here at Hoxhunt tells us that 2/3 of active participants in adaptive phishing training reported a real suspicious email within a year.

And we also found that there was also a 10X increase in both real and simulated threat detection rates.

How did we get these results?

Unlike your typical security awareness training solution, Hoxhunt automatically adapts the difficulty and content of phishing simulations to participants’ skills.

Our training also is personalized to employees' roles and skill level, gamified and broken down into manageable chunks.

‍

Cyber security awareness month FAQ

What is Cyber Security Awareness Month?

Cyber Security Awareness Month, also known as National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM), is an annual campaign held every October to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity.

Why is Cyber Security Awareness Month important for businesses?

Cyber Security Awareness Month provides businesses with a focused opportunity to strengthen their cybersecurity posture by engaging employees in cybersecurity education and training.

How can businesses participate in Cyber Security Awareness Month?

Businesses can participate by organizing events such as cybersecurity training sessions, virtual cybersecurity escape rooms, cyber quiz competitions, and webinars on cybersecurity topics. They can also distribute daily cybersecurity tips, promote robust password practices, and encourage the use of Multi-Factor Authentication.