October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month
This year the National Cyber Security Alliance, in partnership with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), invites you to participate in Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2020 and encourages all users to own their role in protecting connected devices.
Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart.
Each week there is a specific theme to learn more about being Cyber Smart. Follow us this month as we engage our health IT community in cybersecurity awareness as we are all trying to meet the new challenges of working from home and through the pandemic.
Week of October 5 (Week 1): If You Connect It, Protect It
If you connect it, protect it. The line between our online and offline lives is indistinguishable. This network of connections creates both opportunities and challenges for individuals and organizations across the globe. The first week of Cybersecurity Awareness Month will highlight the ways in which internet-connected devices have impacted our lives and will empower all users to own their role in security by taking steps to reduce their risks.
Week of October 12 (Week 2): Securing Devices at Home and Work
2020 saw a major disruption in the way many work, learn, and socialize online. Our homes are more connected than ever. Our businesses are more connected than ever. With more people now working from home, these two internet-connected environments are colliding on a scale we’ve never seen before, introducing a whole new set of potential vulnerabilities that users must be conscious of. Week 2 of Cybersecurity Awareness Month will focus on steps users and organizations can take to protect internet connected devices for both personal and professional use.
Week of October 19 (Week 3): Securing Internet-Connected Devices in Healthcare
The healthcare industry is increasingly relying upon internet-connected devices and solutions to improve patient care, organizational efficiency, speed of crisis response, and much more. The emergence of telemedicine, digital health records, internet-connected medical devices, patient wellness apps, and an increasing amount of third parties entering the health supply chain has created many benefits, but has also exposed the industry to vulnerabilities that cyber criminals regularly attempt to exploit. The third week of Cybersecurity Awareness Month will delve into the industry (hospitals, care facilities) and consumer (telemedicine patients) implications of internet-connected device use and what steps both can take own their part and #BeCyberSmart.
Week of October 26 (Week 4): The Future of Connected Device
The final week of Cybersecurity Awareness Month will look at the future of connected devices. This week will look at how technological innovations, such as 5G, might impact consumers’ and business’ online experiences (e.g. faster speeds and data transmission, larger attack surface for hackers), as well as how people/infrastructure can adapt to the continuous evolution of the connected devices moving forward. No matter what the future holds, however, every user needs to be empowered to do their part.