Cybersecurity Awareness Month (CSAM) in Canada is an internationally recognized campaign held annually in October. It’s a month when the government, news agencies, and cyber experts urge public and corporate leaders to be more vigilant about what they do online and to take steps to secure their sensitive information.
Following this trend, the Government of Canada launched the campaign earlier this week with a theme called “Life Happens Online,” aiming to teach Canadians all the necessary steps to protect themselves and their devices against various online threats.
CanadaVPNs has also joined in this effort and launched a Cybersecurity Awareness campaign in Canada of its own. With a theme of “Don’t take the bait, keep your cybersecurity up-to-date,” we intend to highlight the growing importance of cybersecurity and encourage individuals & organizations to take necessary measures to stay secure and safe in an increasingly connected world.
Don’t Take the Bait; Keep Your Cybersecurity Up-to-Date!
Since the world is currently battling with the aftereffects of a catastrophic pandemic, reliability on the internet has increased more than ever. From operating large & small businesses to conducting education and personal communication, everything is now being done online. Unfortunately, however, the same source that brings efficiency and accessibility to our lives is also the cause of the biggest security concern.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the world has seen a fourfold increase in cyberattacks, with global losses from cybercrime exceeding $1 trillion in 2020. According to the latest stats, around 63,234 cybercrime cases are reported in Canada, with Ontario being the most targeted region in the country.
Given the circumstances, corporate awareness and resilience are fundamental to securing sensitive data and avoiding breaches.
To play our part in increasing awareness of cybersecurity issues, CanadaVPNs has launched a 2021 cybersecurity Awareness Month theme,
“Don’t take the bait, keep your cybersecurity up-to-date!”
With this theme, we intend to raise awareness regarding all the lures and baits that could jeopardize your online security. Furthermore, this theme encourages individuals and organizations to own their role in securing their part of cyberspace, emphasizing personal accountability and the necessity of taking proactive measures to boost cybersecurity.
Each week, we’ll be sharing resources to help you adopt the best cybersecurity practices in your private and professional life.
Week One (4-8 October): “Establishing a Secure Network”
Network security is one of the crucial aspects to consider when working over the internet. Every minute, a massive amount of data is transferred between devices and computers. With hackers are constantly looking for new vulnerabilities to exploit, it’s important to make sure that you have a secure network. Here is what we are covering this week:
- Phishing scams and their prevention
- Setting up a Virtual Private Network for businesses
- Using strong passwords and enabling two-factor authentication
Read our informative article on How to identify and avoid Phishing attacks
Week Two (11-15 October): “Sharing and Communicating”
The internet has become an integral part of our lives. Almost all of us go online to conduct some of our daily activities, from mundane tasks to social interactions to personal communication. We are talking about how you can share and communicate safely over the internet with topics:
- Secure practices of file sharing
- Storing and backing up data
- Malware and antivirus software
Read about Five Sign if your smartphone is hacked and how to save your data
Week Three (18-22 October): “Working and Networking”
The COVID-19 pandemic has been an unexpected catalyst for a drastic shift to remote operation throughout various business sectors in Canada. When everything came to a complete halt during the lockdown, the internet became an ultimate platform for remote business operations. While some Canadians might be returning to their offices this fall, it’s likely many still aren’t – and some might be working from home permanently. This week, we are discussing how to establish good cybersecurity hygiene with emphasis on:
- Dangers of using a public Wi-Fi
- Career-specific cyberthreats
- Setting up a secure home network
Week Four (25-30 October): “Families and Businesses”
The previous year has posed a challenge to almost everything, and cybersecurity is no exception. This week we are splitting our focus into the two most vulnerable groups: Children and small businesses/startups, covering topics including:
- Running a safe cyber business
- Keeping families and children safe online
Read the complete article about the Online Security of your children in the era of Cyberattacks.
Come join us!
Alone we can do so little, but together, we can do so much! So come join us in our efforts to increase cybersecurity awareness among individuals and businesses and celebrate cybersecurity awareness month in Canada. If everyone does their part – raising community awareness, adopting stronger security practices, educating vulnerable audiences, or training employees – our interconnected cyber world will be more secure and resilient for everyone.
If you would like to partner with us on Cyber Security Awareness or record your feedback, please email us at candavpns@gmail.com. You can also drop your queries in the comment section below. To help us in our cause, use #CyberAware, #BeCyberSmart, or #CanadaVPNCyberAwarenessMonth in your social post. Also, bookmark this page and follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up-to-date with the latest cybersecurity advice and guidance.