National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) is the annual awareness campaign for cybersecurity supported by industry and government to promote cybersecurity best practices and encourage all users of technology to do their part and #BeCyberSmart.
In the past, things were easier. Endpoints were fewer and less connected, and updates came less frequently. As internet-connected smartphones have become more ubiquitous and engrained into our daily lives, their potential for risk and abuse have increased exponentially. Our devices have gone from simple communication devices to storehouses of personal data and passwords, even going so far as to constantly track our locations.
These features of smart devices have their place and purpose, but without user awareness of how those tools are operating and with whom they are communicating, these powerful devices can be turned against us. Zero-day attacks, malware, spyware, even simple misconfigurations can wreak havoc on our lives and turn our devices into bots for cyber criminals. And often all it takes is for a user to be unaware of what their device is doing.
NCSAM 2020 at Texas State University has moved online this year in response to COVID-19 but there is still plenty going on that is worth your time, especially if you own a smart phone or a device that connects to the internet. Which, if you’re reading these words, you definitely do.
Our hope is that you will join us for a guest speaker, for our end-of-the-month game night, or even take a few minutes to read more about NCSAM and what you can do to better protect yourself and your devices.
For more information and a schedule of events, check out www.infosecurity.txstate.edu/csam2020
Joel Ausanka is an IT project manager in the Information Security Office.
