Yes, Virginia, it is October and that means it is–wait for it–National Cybersecurity Awareness Month! Not just a day, mind you. A whole month! (Fun fact: National Cybersecurity Awareness Month was established eighteen years ago.) In case you have FOMO, as I write this (one day after National Taco Day), today is

• National Apple Betty Day
• National Get Funky Day (hmm)
• National Do Something Nice Day
• National Rhode Island Day (seems like an oxymoron)
• World Teachers Day
• National Coffee with a Cop Day
• National Pumpkin Seed Day

There, I warned you.

You are a busy person, and no doubt would like to find some kind of cybersecurity-awareness-in-a-box resource for your organization. Well, you are in luck! Cybersecurity organizations and cybersecurity vendors with Marketing budgets have been looking forward to National Cybersecurity Awareness Month the way I looked forward to Halloween as a kid.

Cybersecurity Organization Resources

Hat tip to my buddy Ann Puckett for these (and a few other) resource hints.

The SANS institute has some Cybersecurity Awareness Month resources. This organization is one of my go-to groups for resources like sample information security policies.

The National Cybersecurity Alliance has a great set of tools as well.

CISA, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is encouraging folks to “see yourself in cyber.” It makes sense to encourage people to consider cybersecurity as a career, since there is a shortage of cybersecurity professionals. (This fact is also driving investments in cybersecurity automation.) Here is a link to their cyber essentials material.

NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology), another of my go-to groups, has a collection of materials you may find useful.

Cybersecurity Vendor Resources

You will not be surprised to learn that cybersecurity vendors are providing all manner of resource kits.

Here is the kit from KnowBe4 (you will be required to send your email address).

Infosec Institute provides cybersecurity training. Here is a link to their Cybersecurity Awareness Month resource.

Microsoft has a nice overview of cybersecurity topics, along with facts you can use to encourage people to pay attention during Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

Proofpoint (thanks Ann P!) has provided a nice set of materials.

Finally, CGNET has some posters on passwords and phishing lying around the office. Let me know if you would like me to send you one for Cybersecurity Awareness Month.