Ottawa, Ontario, October 1, 2020 – CSE and its Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (Cyber Centre) today officially launched Cyber Security Awareness Month (CSAM) 2020, via the Get Cyber Safe public awareness campaign.
CSAM is an internationally recognized campaign held each October to encourage people to practice good cyber security. In Canada, CSAM focuses on helping Canadians protect themselves in an evolving digital landscape by providing helpful tips that anyone can apply throughout the five-week campaign. The 2020 edition will centre around helping Canadians secure their own devices with weekly themes highlighting cyber security best practices:
- Week 1: Taking Stock - The first few days of CSAM will focus on taking stock of all of the devices in your life and bidding farewell to those devices that have served you well but that you might not use anymore;
- Week 2: Phone Week - It’s time to repay your phone for all it has done for you by making sure it’s properly secured. Learn the importance of updating your OS, how to avoid smishing scams, and how to enable multi-factor authentication;
- Week 3: Computer Week - There are some things a good old-fashioned laptop or desktop are necessary for. Let’s reward these important devices with some well-deserved caring by learning about complex passphrase creation, how to protect against malware, and avoiding phishing scams;
- Week 4: Network Week - Let’s give these unsung heroes their dues by making sure they’re secure against cyber threats by setting up and securing your Wi-Fi Networks, learning how to use Wi-Fi safely, and protecting your business network; and
- Week 5: Smart Device Week - This week, we’ll teach you to take care of your TVs, doorbells and other smart devices by setting up a specific network for your smart devices, changing your privacy settings, and securing the Internet of Things (IoT) at home or within your business.
With partners across the country helping to get the cyber security message out, Canadians will have all the tools at their fingertips to help keep their devices safe and secured. The goal of the campaign is to collectively increase Canadians’ overall cyber hygiene.
Get Cyber Safe is also taking advantage of CSAM to relaunch its website. GetCyberSafe.ca offers Canadians important information and tools so they can stay cyber safe in all aspects of their lives, as well as an assessment tool that Canadians can use to improve their cyber security habits.
Quotes
“Technology moves so fast that it can be hard to keep up. Cyber Security Awareness Month is crucial to helping Canadians focus on simple, effective ways to keep their information and devices safe. We all need to go back to basics sometimes, and this campaign gives us a chance to do just that. I invite Canadians to keep up with the Cyber Centre’s tips all year round to help maintain better cyber hygiene.”
“Over the past year, more Canadians have moved online for work, social interaction, and learning. This has brought increased awareness to how Canadians use their devices. Making sure we all know how to connect in a safe, secure way is essential to our overall cyber security. Keeping our devices secure and making smart decisions online helps keep ourselves, our families, and our workplaces safe, which is what we strive for every day.”
Quick Facts
- The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (within CSE) manages the Get Cyber Safe public awareness campaign. It delivers key information via its website and various social media channels so Canadians and small-to-medium organizations can help protect their digital landscape and be safe online.
- The Get Cyber Safe public awareness campaign was established with the simple, but important mission of keeping Canadians safe online.
- The GetCyberSafe.ca website offers Canadians important information and tools so they can stay cyber safe in all aspects of their lives. With information for parents and small-to-medium organizations, and general guidelines to follow when working from home, the Get Cyber Safe website has Canadians’ cyber security needs covered. The website also contains an assessment tool that Canadians can use to improve their cyber security habits.
- The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security is Canada’s authority on cyber security. With the Cyber Centre as the single unified source of expert advice, guidance, services, and support on cyber security for government, critical infrastructure owners and operations, the private sector and the public, Canadians have a clear and trusted place to turn to for cyber security issues.
- The Get Cyber Safe Awareness Tracking Survey from this past spring demonstrated that Canadians continue to face cyber threats.
- 1 in 4 Canadians feel they are not prepared to face cyber threats.
- 2 in 5 Canadians say they have been the victim of a virus, spyware or malware on their computer.
- 26 per cent of Canadians have been victimized by an email scam.
- During Cyber Security Awareness Month, the Get Cyber Safe public awareness campaign will offer all Canadians the tools to prepare and protect themselves against cyber threats.
Associated Links
Get Cyber Safe
Cyber Security Awareness Month Toolkit
Get Cyber Safe Assessment Tool
Contacts
Stay Connected
Follow CSE, Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, and Get Cyber Safe on Twitter.
For more information (media only) please contact:
CSE Media Relations
Media@cse-cst.gc.ca