It’s that time of year again — Oct. 1 marks the start of National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM). Now in its 16th year, NCSAM is designed to help enterprises and end users better address specific challenges and identify key opportunities for positive change.
This year, the month-long messaging focuses on a trifecta of security themes: encouraging personal accountability, developing proactive behavior and drawing attention to careers in cybersecurity. It’s a model of shared responsibility that recognizes a critical shift in security as the line between our online and offline lives becomes indistinguishable. The eventual destination will be a unified approach that treats all data as valuable and all users as cybersecurity stakeholders.
But to get where we’re going, we need to know where we’ve been. Here’s a quick look back at the state of cybersecurity in 2019 and how this year’s NCSAM themes can help boost infosec impact.
The Year in Review
Cybersecurity in 2019 was defined by two key trends: lack of staff and abundance of risk. As noted by ISACA’s “State of Cybersecurity 2019,” 58 percent of companies surveyed have unfilled infosec positions, and 69 percent said their IT security teams are understaffed. Sixty percent of security professionals said cyberattacks are “likely or very likely” this year, and half believe that most organizations underreport the amount of cybercrime they experience — even when reporting is mandatory.
This year, top threats included:
Phishing — The old hook-and-sinker standby remains popular because it works. As trifecta overview national cyber security awareness month
