October marks the 21st anniversary of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which is dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of protecting online information through cybersecurity best practices.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a collaborative effort led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA), with a theme of Secure Our World . While there are many steps one should take to protect their online information and personally identifiable information (PII), a few simple steps are the foundation for building a safer online environment. For example, users are advised to follow recommended password practices, implement a password manager for safe storage, and utilize multi-factor authentication (MFA) where available. Additionally, users should keep software updated to help secure devices from the most recently discovered vulnerabilities and set up automatic updates to help keep devices safe with minimal user interaction. Phishing comes in many forms, and immediately recognizing threats and red flags is one of the best ways to protect personal information from threat actors.

More information and cybersecurity best practices can be found on the Cybersecurity Awareness Month NJCCIC webpage.