Welcome to European Cyber Security Month 2023! Every October, organizations, businesses, and internet users work harder than ever to build a better digital landscape. Except it’s not just European Cyber Security Month. The world comes together to raise awareness and take action online.
Learning more about cyber security month helps you get ahead of the latest digital threats, embrace new solutions, and align with key stakeholders around the world in tackling cybercrime.
What it is European Cyber Security Month?
In Europe, ENISA, the EU’s Agency for Cybersecurity, spearheads European Cyber Security Month. ENISA coordinates with European governments, universities, think tanks, experts, and businesses to improve cybersecurity with collaboration and optimism.
They also award cybersecurity non-profits across Europe for creating the best video, infographic, and teaching material that supports online safety and stronger anti-scam awareness, as you can see here:
ENISA’s efforts mirror the American CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) and their Department of Homeland Security, which founded a National Cybersecurity Awareness Month way back in 2004. These days, nations around the world, from Denmark to Australia, seize the opportunity to celebrate cybersecurity in October.
This year’s theme
The digital threat landscape changed drastically since 2004. ENISA highlights the phrase “think before you click” as one of this year’s mottos, reflecting the rise in deceptive social engineering attacks, phishing campaigns, and fake websites that trick victims online.
This month’s other motto, #BeSmarterThanAHacker, drives this point home:
Anti-scam awareness works wonders for consumers, but cybercriminals launch sustained hacking campaigns against businesses that require more comprehensive strategies. As we’ll explore, these clear steps help consumers and organizations stay smarter than a hacker.
Insights from EBRAND’s CTO: How to bolster your resilience
At EBRAND, we know the value of listening to experts and sharing insights from business leaders. We therefore spoke to our Chief Technical Officer, Anouar Adlani, about Cyber Security Month 2023. He had this to say about outsmarting hackers:
“Securing your IT infrastructure is incomplete without safeguarding your domain name. Ignoring domain security compromises three pillars of cybersecurity: Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. DNS is the cornerstone of the internet, laying the foundations for vital services like websites and email servers.
This Cyber Security Month, bolster your resilience by taking specific actions:
- First, review the security of your domain name registrar, ensuring they offer robust security controls.
- Enforce strict access control on the registrar’s platform through password policies, multi-factor authentication, and IP limitations.
- Enable change management for DNS Zone files to validate, track or revert changes.
- Activate essential domain protections like Registry Locks and Transfer Locks.
These measures will not only fortify your online presence but also preserve customer trust.”
Advice from experts like our CTO helps businesses balance their digital safety measures, boosting and protecting any under appreciated elements of cyber security.
Outsmarting hackers with secure, stable domains
It’s hard to celebrate European Cyber Security Month with your website presence under threat. As the figurehead of ecommerce assets, domains face the brunt of myriad threats, from impersonations to DDoS attacks to expiries and more. Last October, in 2022’s European Cyber Security Month, expired domain auctions made thousands of dollars selling website addresses that slipped through a company’s fingers. Don’t let it be your company this year, and ensure your domain stays renewed and secured.
Tools like Multi-Factor Authentication and Registry Locks help businesses align their domain security with the rest of their cybersecurity posture. Beyond that, fighting off DDoS attacks and cybersquatters delivers productive Corporate Domain Management options for a cybersafe October.
Conclusions: Embracing European Cyber Security Month
In conclusion, by reading this guide, you’re making great steps to be smarter than a hacker! Cyber security month calls for all businesses to share their best practices and digital tips, but it also means looking inwards. Businesses without the tools to tackle digital risks must act before the next attack, and cyber security month offers the perfect place to start.
In the meantime, we’ll keep the insights coming, along with ENISA and other authorities this European Cyber Security Month. Defeating cybercrime and protecting brands requires sustained collaboration, and that’s what we’re here to do. Together, we’ll think before we click, outsmart hackers, and build a better digital landscape for 2024 and beyond.
