You’ve likely heard the catchy phrase, “A dog is for life, not just for Christmas,” coined by the Dog’s Trust, emphasizing the ongoing commitment required for a furry companion. Similarly, while October celebrates Cybersecurity Awareness Month, establishing a robust cybersecurity culture within your organization demands continual dedication—no pun intended.
Yes, the buzz and focus on cybersecurity in October are commendable with industry expert-led events, webinars, and an avalanche of social media posts on password protection. But what happens post-October?
This article provides a comprehensive checklist of year-long cybersecurity awareness initiatives, ensuring a culture that endures within your organization.
Immediate Actions Post-Cybersecurity Awareness Month
- Conduct a Post-Mortem Survey Promptly after the cybersecurity month concludes, engage colleagues by asking, “What more would you like to know?” A survey uncovering what worked, what didn’t, and what people wish to learn creates a crucial bridge to maintain momentum.
- Develop a Yearly Awareness Schedule (with Actionable Steps) Driving awareness alone isn’t sufficient. Many find awareness training theoretical and daunting, lacking practical steps. Embed actionable steps into awareness training, making it relevant and engaging by linking cybersecurity practices at home to those in the workplace.
Annual Cybersecurity Awareness Plan Template
November to December Alert your team about holiday season shopping deals and potential online threats. Encourage vigilance against phishing emails and urge scrutiny of website authenticity.
January to February With tax season kickoff, educate on tax-related scams, reinforcing security behaviors to counter phishing, smishing, and vishing attempts.
March to April Highlight common holiday rental and hotel scams as people plan vacations. Emphasize the importance of verifying website credibility.
May to June Spring-clean passwords, advocating for passphrases, uniqueness, breach checks, and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) adoption.
July to August Summer holidays bring focus to device updates, illustrating the importance of refreshing device software and securing IoT devices.
September Highlight the necessity of backing up essential data, promoting cloud backup for personal and professional content.
October Embrace Cybersecurity Awareness Month again, utilizing diverse content and experts to plan ongoing awareness campaigns.
Beyond Colleagues: Other Stakeholders
Directors or Non-Executive Management Incorporate non-executive management in awareness activities as they increasingly require cybersecurity knowledge, seeking their input can be invaluable.
Supply Chain Engagement Extend awareness activities to the supply chain, aligning with the trend of bolstering third-party cybersecurity maturity.
Conclusion: Sustain Cybersecurity Vigilance Year-Round
Adapt and personalize the template to maintain a cybersecurity culture beyond fleeting annual campaigns. Making awareness relatable and actionable ensures lasting impact, reducing risks organization-wide.
Remember: “Cybersecurity is for life, not just for Cybersecurity Awareness Month.”
