BRAINERD
— October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, an international initiative that educates everyone about online safety and empowers individuals and businesses to protect their data from cybercrime.
This year, the focus is on the government entities and small and medium businesses that are vital to protecting the systems and services that sustain people every day.
Much of the nation’s critical infrastructure is owned and operated by state, local, tribal and territorial governments as well as private companies.
Additionally, vendors, suppliers and other parts of the supply chain that support or are connected to critical infrastructure play a critical cybersecurity role.
The theme of Cybersecurity Awareness Month is “Building a Cyber Strong America,” highlighting the need to strengthen the country’s infrastructure against cyber threats, ensuring resilience and security.
The goal is to remind people that there are easy actions they can take every day to protect themselves, their families and businesses. It’s a time to call attention to the growing importance of cybersecurity in daily lives and take steps every day to secure the world.
“Protecting our county’s systems, data and residents isn’t just an IT task, it’s a shared responsibility,” Crow Wing County Information Technology Manager Jason Walkowiak said in a news release. “Cybersecurity isn’t about checking boxes; it’s about protecting the services and trust our community relies on every day. Thank you for staying vigilant and committed to keep Crow Wing County secure. When each person takes ownership of security practices, we strengthen our collective resilience against threats and create a safer digital environment for all.”
Cybersecurity Awareness Month focuses on the top ways to protect businesses from online threats:
- Think before you click. Most attacks begin with a single click on a suspicious link or attachment. If something looks off, it probably is.
- Require employees to use strong and complex passwords and never use them across systems.
- Require multifactor authentication. This adds an extra layer of security beyond passwords.
- Teach employees to recognize and report phishing.
- Update business software.
According to a 2024 report from the National Cybersecurity Alliance:
- 35% of people include personal information in their passwords.
- 30% of people expressed there is no point in protecting themselves as their information is already online, up 8% from 2023.
- About a third of respondents began using a password manager after receiving cyber training.
- 79% of respondents were familiar with multifactor authentication.
- Only 36% of people always install software updates when they become available.
- 69% of people express confidence in their ability to identify phishing attempts.
Cybersecurity Awareness Month is led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency and the National Cybersecurity Alliance. For more information about ways to keep you, your business and your family safe online, visit
cisa.gov/cybersecurity-awareness-month
and
staysafeonline.org/cybersecurity-awareness-month/
.
