Cyber Security Awareness Month is an internationally recognized campaign held each October. it helps the public learn more about the importance of cyber security. This campaign helps Canadians stay secure online by teaching them simple steps to protect themselves and their devices. In 2021, Cyber Security Awareness Month in Canada takes place October 1 to October 31 and the theme is “Life Happens Online”.
Now more than ever, it’s important to understand the risks of cybersecurity and how to protect your information and your identity. Each week, we’ll be showcasing the many ways the internet has helped us to live our lives as normally as possible this year and let you know how you can stay connected safely.
This year, life happens online
The internet really came through this year. With the help of our devices, the internet let us spend time with our friends and families, share special moments and make our lives feel as normal as possible — even when they weren’t. By protecting our devices, accounts and connections, we can make sure we never miss a moment of our online lives.
Week 1: Staying in touch
No matter what’s going on around us, the internet keeps us in touch and spending time with our favourite people. This week, we’ll focus on staying safe while being social. The topics are:
- Avoiding phishing scams
- Keeping private information safe
- Using strong passphrases and complex passwords and enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA)
Red Rhino Resources:
Following this week’s theme, we gathered a few resources for you to read and stay informed:
Have you ever received an email and found yourself scratching your head wondering if it’s real? Scammers will use emails to trick you into sharing personal information. These emails and sometimes text messages can look very legitimate, but there are steps you can take to avoid falling into a trap.
Read our guide: How to spot phishing scams.
Wi-fi hotspots are everywhere these days. At your local coffee shop, the airport, hotels, and even restaurants. Many people rush to connect to free wi-fi with hopes to cut down on data usage, but have you ever wondered if it’s safe? With data breaches being at an all-time high, you’re smart to be concerned.
Read our article: What you need to know before connecting to public wi-fi.
If your business has been neglecting password best practices, then your data is at high risk of being hacked. In fact, chances are your company passwords are already available on the dark web
Read our guide: Creating the perfect password.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) should no longer be just an option. Consider making it mandatory to protect online accounts from hackers. Gone are the days when having a strong password was enough. You need back-up!
Read our article: Adding a mandatory layer of security to your accounts.