Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a global initiative aimed at raising awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and encouraging proactive steps to protect your data and identity online. This annual event is crucial in today’s digital age, where cyber threats are ever-evolving and increasingly sophisticated.
This year’s theme, “Secure Our World,” emphasizes the collective effort required to enhance cybersecurity. It features four key themes:
- Recognize and Report Phishing: Phishing attacks are one of the most common cyber threats. Learning to identify and report phishing attempts can prevent significant data breaches and financial losses. Be vigilant about suspicious emails, links, and attachments.
- Creating and Storing Strong Passwords: Strong passwords are your first line of defense against cyber attacks. Use a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters, and avoid using easily guessable information. Consider using a password manager to store and manage your passwords securely.
- Understanding and Setting Up Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring two or more verification methods. This significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access to your accounts, even if your password is compromised.
- The Importance of Updating Hardware and Software: Regular updates to your hardware and software are essential to protect against vulnerabilities. These updates often include patches for security flaws that could be exploited by cybercriminals.
Additionally, USF is competing in the 2024 Cyber Bowl against nine other Florida universities, a digital sports competition to test your knowledge on cybersecurity through a few questions. A select few students will also win swag and prizes, such as a club tickets to the USF vs Navy football game on November 9. The Cyber Bowl runs October 7-18 (Note: Students who also hold employment positions at USF are not eligible to receive prizes).
Visit the Information Technology Hub for more information on this year's cybersecurity themes, strategies and tips about safe computing, and for information on how to enter the 2024 Cyber Bowl.