Cybersecurity Awareness Month | DVD Networks

2025 Cybersecurity Awareness Month Kit

During this month-long initiative, you will have access to information and educational resources focused on defending against human-centric threats.

Cybercriminals are expanding their attacks beyond email, targeting platforms like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and even LinkedIn. This campaign will help you recognize these threats and make informed decisions to protect yourself and our organization from evolving risks. Each of us has a role to play in defending against targeted social engineering attacks.

The Mission: Raise awareness and ensure that everyone has the resources they need to be safe and secure online.

This year's campaign theme—“Secure Our World”—demonstrates that everyone is responsible for their own online behavior. This October will focus on the “people” part of cybersecurity, providing information and resources to help educate the public and ensure all individuals and organizations make smart decisions whether on the job, at home, or at school—now and in the future. The included resources are intended for you to use to educate, engage and encourage your peers to adopt cyber smart practices.

What is Cybersecurity Awareness Month?

Held every October, Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a collaborative effort between government, industry, and the public. It is an effort that reaches from the White House to the individual to raise awareness about cybersecurity and to ensure that everyone has the resources they need to be safe and secure online. As we prepare for the upcoming holidays, October is the ideal time for people to learn about their cyber presence and the role cybersecurity plays in keeping them, their friends, and family safe and secure.

What is Considered Cybercrime?

Cybercrime is defined as any crime committed electronically, such as theft, fraud and even physical threats and endangerment. It is important to know your cyber basics and know how to take action to protect yourself. Being safe on the computer is similar to being safe in your daily offline routine. You would not leave your car unlocked in the middle of a crowded city, so why not apply those same safety principles to your online life?

What are Physical Cyber Attacks?

Cyber attacks do not always have to come from the internet, and malware can hide easily on some of the data storage devices we trust and use daily. Physical cyber attacks use hardware, external storage devices, or other physical types of attacks to infect, damage, or otherwise compromise digital systems. The attack can hitch a ride on USB storage devices or flash drives, CDs, hard copies of video games, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as smartphones, smartwatches, and even signal devices such as key fobs.

Safe Password Tips

One of the first lines of defense for keeping your information safe online is the use of a password. Some password tips are as follows:

1. Avoid Reusing Passwords Across Accounts
Reusing login credentials is one of the leading causes of unauthorized access to accounts. Always create unique passwords for each account to reduce the risk of a security breach.

2. Make Your Passwords Long and Complex
The longer and more intricate your password, the harder it is for hackers to crack. Aim for 11 or more characters and include a mix of letters, symbols, and numbers—or even a short memorable sentence.

3. Regularly Reset Important Passwords
Don't wait for a data breach! Make it a habit to change passwords for sensitive accounts, like banking or medical portals, every few months to stay a step ahead of potential threats.

4. Simplify Security with a Password Manager
A password manager can generate, store, and encrypt all of your passwords, allowing you to securely manage multiple accounts with just one master password. This is especially useful for protecting sensitive data like credit card details and security questions.

Helpful Links

https://www.cisa.gov/cybersecurity-awareness-month

https://www.cisa.gov/stopransomware

https://us-cert.cisa.gov/forms/report

Week 1

Phishing Attacks Beyond Email

Technical safeguards can’t always protect us, so it’s important to know our role in keeping safe. Watch this 4-minute video, “Threat Overview: Phishing in Messaging Apps,” to uncover how attackers launch phishing attacks beyond email, using Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Chat, and other messaging tools.

Learn to identify a malicious message delivered across everyday communication and collaboration tools and remember: not all channels have traditional security controls in place. Stay vigilant and don't take the bait!

Week 3

Impersonation and BEC Attacks

Watch this video, “60 Seconds to Better Security: What is Spoofing?”. This video provides a basic explanation of email spoofing—when an attacker forges a sending address so that a message looks like it’s being sent by a legitimate company, institution or person. This is one of several impersonation tactics used by attackers to manipulate an individual into revealing credentials, financial information or personal data.

Watch this video, “Notes from an Expert: Business Email Compromise.” You will hear from a Proofpoint Threat Research expert in this video on the Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks, that are often associated with a spoofed email and attempts to trick employees, partners or customers into transferring money or giving up sensitive data.

39S

A cyber attack occurs every 39 seconds

19%

BEC accounts for 19% of data breaches

96%

96% of phishing attacks are delivered via email

39%

Phishing represents the most common email attack method, accounting for 39% of all email threats

Staying safe online doesn't have to be difficult.

The DVD Networks Cybersecurity Awareness Month resource page contains a range of suggested resources and communications to show users how security can be simple. The resource page includes videos, emails, posters, articles, and flyers to remind your teams about best practices and keep cybersecurity at the top of their minds.

Free Dark Web Scan

Secure your digital identity with DVD Networks' Dark Web Scan. This service actively monitors and alerts you to potential threats, providing detailed reports to help you maintain a secure digital presence. Join our community for reliable cyber protection and peace of mind.

Safeguard your online information and stay ahead of cyber threats.

Free Dark Web Scan

Cyber Insurance Webinar

Discover strategies for enhancing cyber resilience in our on-demand webinar, "A Powerhouse Duo: Cyber Insurance and Cybersecurity." Learn from experts how cyber insurance and effective risk management can protect your business against emerging threats.

Next-Generation Cybersecurity Strategies for Virginia Businesses

Cybersecurity is critical to your company's success. Cybersecurity solutions are more than having a firewall and a locked front door. The heartbeat of your business is your customer data and financial exposure. At DVD Networks (DVD), we recognize the need to strengthen your security and our managed services make it simple for you to enhance security and compliance. DVD allows your company to deliver the highest degree of security and assurance to your employees, clients, and vendors.

Cyber Solutions

cybersecurity-strategies

Cybersecurity Tips

Blog topics covering cybersecurity best practices for you and your business

Protecting Yourself from Typosquatting: What It Is and How to Stay Safe

Business IT

Protecting Yourself from Typosquatting: What It Is and How to Stay Safe

Cybercriminals are constantly finding new ways to exploit unsuspecting internet users. One of the most subtle yet effective tactics they use is typosquatting. By playing on common human errors, typosquatting allows attackers to lure individuals into malicious traps under the guise of trusted brand names. Understanding this form of cyberattack is key to staying protected in the digital age.

Protect Your Business Email Against Phishing and Ransomware Attacks

managed IT services

Protect Your Business Email Against Phishing and Ransomware Attacks

In the past year, ransomware attacks and phishing emails have risen sharply. According to VirusTotal, more than 130 different types of ransomware have been detected since 2020 as stated in the Ransomware Global Context Report. This is a matter of concern for small businesses as well as big businesses, especially those running business networks over cloud services.

How SMBs Can Better Prepare For Rise in Cybercrime

Business IT

How SMBs Can Better Prepare For Rise in Cybercrime

Cybersecurity Ventures anticipated that "cybercrime will cost the world $6 trillion every year by 2021, up from $3 trillion out of 2015." Effectively, this implies that criminals approach limitless spending plans to build the complexity of their assaults. In the interim, entrepreneurs are doing pretty much nothing to shield themselves.

Providing Innovative Home Office Cybersecurity for Remote Workers

Remote Work

Providing Innovative Home Office Cybersecurity for Remote Workers

According to a BitSight report, "Identifying Unique Risks of Work From Home Remote Office Networks," the article revealed that “45% of companies had malware on their corporate-associated home networks.” This could mean major cybersecurity and telecommuting complications for small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) if they are not prepared.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is co-led by the National Cyber Security Alliance and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. For more information about ways to keep you and your family safe online visit staysafeonline.org/cybersecurity-awareness-month and cisa.gov/ncsam.

https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/87787-hackers-attack-every-39-seconds

https://www.hornetsecurity.com/en/cyber-security-report/

https://www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/3R8N1DZJ

Talk to a IT Expert

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