CISA highlights cybersecurity awareness initiatives

Amid October being designated Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) officials said the agency is highlighting actions Americans can take to raise the baseline for cybersecurity nationwide.

President Joe Biden’s recent signing of a proclamation focuses on a time for the public and private sectors to collaborate to continue raising awareness about the importance of cybersecurity while equipping Americans with resources to be safer and more secure online.

“To build a more resilient nation, everyone—from K through Gray—has a role to play, which is why our theme for this year’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month is ‘See Yourself in Cyber,'” CISA Director Jen Easterly said. “This October, we are taking this message directly to the American people because whether you’re a network defender or anyone with an internet connection, we all have a role to play in strengthening the cybersecurity of our nation.”

Easterly said throughout the month, CISA would be engaged with communities to promote simple but effective methods to keep Americans safe online through basic steps like enabling multi-factor authentication, using strong passwords and a password keeper, recognizing and reporting phishing, and promptly updating software.

CISA officials indicated the agency leads the national effort to understand, manage and reduce risk to the digital and physical infrastructure relied upon by Americans daily.