October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

October will mark the 15th National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) in the U.S. The American Institute of CPAs plans to take time next month to educate and remind member firm clients about the dangers surrounding data, and the critical need to protect their personal and financial data.

NCSAM was created in 2003 in an effort between government and industry to help Americans access the resources they need to safekeep their digital data. Last year, the AICPA introduced a cybersecurity risk management reporting framework in conjunction with NCSAM. The framework aims to help any company in any industry take a proactive and agile approach to cybersecurity risk management to communicate those activities with stakeholders.

The institute has not announced specific details around what it will be doing for NCSAM 2018.

Separately, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is launching a toolkit for Americans to use to improve their cybersecurity practices at home and at work. Each week in October the department will release guidelines and information on how to make your home a haven for online safety, education for a career in cybersecurity, cyber safety at work, and safeguarding the nation’s critical infrastructure.

For more information on the AICPA’s activities for NCSAM 2018, contact Jackie Hyland at jackie.hyland@aicpa-cima.com or call 919-490-4387.