The Ultimate List of Tips and Resources for Cybersecurity Month 2023

October is Cybersecurity Month – an annual campaign (now in its 20th year) aiming to raise awareness on the importance of cybersecurity. It was created in 2004 by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in the United States. Today, due to the global nature of cyber threats, it is recognized in many other countries and is supported by a wide range of global partners from government institutions to private industry and academia.

The purpose of Cybersecurity Month is to educate organizations and individuals about the latest cybersecurity threats and best practices for protection. The campaign also aims to promote collaboration and information sharing between the public and private sectors to improve cybersecurity capabilities and protection.

As the cost of cybercrime to the world is predicted to reach $8 Trillion in 2023, Cybersecurity Month is more important than ever.

Source: Statista

Cybersecurity Month 2023 – A lot is happening

As Cybersecurity Month provides a unique opportunity for governments and large enterprises to focus on cybersecurity awareness and education, many of them use this month to launch new cybersecurity initiatives, train employees on cybersecurity best practices, and engage with the public about cybersecurity.

These initiatives are designed to promote cyber knowledge, familiarity with best practices and understanding that cybersecurity is a shared responsibility of members of different communities. These campaigns include hundreds of activities, such as conferences, workshops, training sessions, presentations, webinars and online campaigns.

Such campaigns are launched in October by leading economies such as the USA, the European Union, and the UK, but also in developing countries in Africa, South and Central America and the Middle East. Large global enterprises such as Google, Microsoft, IBM, and more, are also getting involved.

Naturally, there are also many regional and local Cybersecurity Month campaigns that are being held around the world – tailored to the specific needs and concerns of the communities they serve.

In honor of Cybersecurity Month, we have compiled the below list of resources and references to make our own contribution, helping promote cybersecurity awareness.

Cybersecurity podcasts

Here are several popular cybersecurity podcasts that are well-produced and informative, featuring a variety of guests from the cybersecurity industry. They are a great way to stay up to date on the latest cybersecurity threats and trends, and to learn more about how to protect your organization from cyber attacks.

Cybersecurity influencers

If you prefer following individuals rather than podcasts, the cybersecurity industry has many influencers that you can follow. These cybersecurity influencers are experts in the field who share their knowledge and insights with others.

They are constantly monitoring the threat landscape for new threats and trends and have a deep understanding of the latest cybersecurity best practices. That’s why they are often the first to identify and share new threats and trends, as well as provide valuable advice on how to protect organizations from cyber attacks.

Many cybersecurity influencers have large followings on social media, making them a great way to connect with other cybersecurity professionals and learn from their experiences. You can follow them on social media, subscribe to their blogs and attend their webinars and online events. Here you can find a list of 10 cybersecurity influencers to follow, as gathered by Royce Markose, CISO and an emerging influencer on his own.

Cybersecurity events

There are many cybersecurity events going on each year, bringing together cybersecurity professionals from around the world to learn about the latest industry happenings, and to network with their peers. Keeping track of all of these events is hard though.

Here you can find a list, also in a calendar format, that aims to comprehensively list all cybersecurity related events, so you can keep track and select the events you want to attend. While this list covers mainly face-to-face cybersecurity events, there are many online events going on too.

Cybersecurity training

One of the things Cybersecurity Month is here to remind us all of is that cybersecurity awareness training is essential for all employees, regardless of their role or level of experience. By educating employees about cybersecurity risks and best practices, organizations can help to proactively protect themselves from a wide range of cyber threats, minimizing human errors that today account for 95% of successful cyber attacks.

Source: IBM Cyber Security Intelligence Index

Effective cybersecurity employee training leads to:

• Reduced risk of cyber attacks: Trained and aware employees are less likely to fall victim to phishing attacks, social engineering scams, etc.
• Improved compliance: Cybersecurity awareness training can help organizations better comply with industry regulations and standards.
• Increased employee confidence: Employees who feel confident in their ability to protect themselves from cyber threats are more likely to be productive and engaged.

For tips about how to implement a successful cybersecurity awareness training program, read this great article by elev8, our sister company.
Overall, cybersecurity awareness training is an essential investment for both organizations and governments in today’s constantly evolving cybersecurity threat landscape.

Staying on top of the numbers

Cybersecurity is an ever-evolving industry and the number and types of attacks are frequently changing. Every organization or governmental agency must stay on top of cybersecurity stats and numbers to understand the evolving threat landscape and make informed decisions about how to allocate resources, develop security strategies, train employees and provide better protection overall.

Cybersecurity rolling stats include information about:

• The most common types of cyberattacks
• The most targeted industries and sectors
• The latest trends and techniques used by cybercriminals
• The financial impact of cyberattacks
• The effectiveness of different cybersecurity strategies and solutions

Check out this great Techopedia article that’s being frequently updated with the latest cybersecurity statistics and important numbers. It also includes a section on cybersecurity best practices that organizations can follow.

Why is Cybersecurity Month so important?

Cybersecurity is a critical issue for governments, organizations and individuals alike. As cyber attacks are becoming more sophisticated and frequent, the cost of cybercrime is rising. This makes this year’s Cybersecurity Month more important than ever, raising awareness to the importance of cybersecurity through regional, national, and corporate awareness programs.

We are a cybersecurity services company that provides a wide range of services to help governments and organizations build self-sustaining and effective cybersecurity programs through our advisory and implementation, managed security services, and cybersecurity capability-building services.

While cybersecurity is in our DNA 24/7, Cybersecurity Month gives us an opportunity to further help our customers self-educate and stay on top of the latest cyber threats and trends. We hope the easy access, pre-screened resources that we have put together will help you stay on top of your cybersecurity knowledge.

If you want to learn more about Cytek Security and how we can help improve organizational and national security postures, talk to us.