"Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart" - National Cybersecurity Awareness Month - October 2021

For the first time in October 2004, Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance together established National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) to help companies and individuals prepare for the cybersecurity landscape.

When Cybersecurity Awareness Month first began, it reached just small companies and educational institutions in the United States. Now it reaches people all over the world. Its early efforts focused on educating people about the need to update your antivirus software twice a year and change smoke alarm batteries during daylight saving time.

Because of the exponential growth since its start, Cybersecurity Awareness Month has reached consumers, small and medium enterprises, corporations, educational institutions, and other organizations worldwide and will continue to do so. Individual security awareness is critical, and it's not only IT and security personnel who should be exposed to realistic attack scenarios.

During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, companies of all sizes are reminded of the need to bolster their security to avoid catastrophic cyberattacks. Moving towards a post-pandemic period of hybrid operations, the sophistication and frequency of cyberattacks will rise at an exponentially faster pace as well. To safeguard their workers, business infrastructure, and sensitive data, organizations must be ready to deal with an ever-changing threat scenario. The purpose of International Cybersecurity Awareness Month is to remind businesses of the importance of security.

To inspire individuals and businesses to take responsibility for protecting their share of cyberspace, the topic for 2021 is "Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart." One of the many successful public-private collaborations essential to cybersecurity is NCSA and DHS' work on Cybersecurity Awareness Month.