Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2022: See Yourself in Cyber

October 2022. Seven years of Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Seven years of this blog. And the theme this year, "See Yourself in Cyber," might be the most important one yet.

The message: cybersecurity isn't just the IT department's problem. It's personal. Every person who uses a computer, phone, or connected device plays a role in security. The receptionist at the dental practice. The paralegal at the law firm. The medical assistant in the clinic. The bookkeeper at the accounting firm. Everyone.

See Yourself in These Scenarios

The Dental Office Manager

You receive an email from what appears to be your dental supply vendor with an updated invoice. The PDF attachment installs ransomware. You could have hovered over the sender's email address to verify it. You could have called the vendor to confirm the invoice. You are cybersecurity.

The Law Firm Paralegal

A new client sends documents via a file-sharing link. The link leads to a phishing page that captures your DMS credentials. You could have verified the client's identity through a separate channel. You could have checked the URL before entering credentials. You are cybersecurity.

The Medical Practice Nurse

You step away from a workstation without locking the screen. A patient waiting nearby can see another patient's medical records. You could have pressed Windows+L before walking away. You are cybersecurity.

The Accounting Firm Associate

A client emails asking you to update their bank account for a tax refund direct deposit. You process the change without calling to verify. The email was from an impersonator. You could have verified by phone. You are cybersecurity.

Four Actions for Four Industries

One action per week this October:

1. Week 1: Enable MFA on your most important account. Email first. Then your PMS/EHR/DMS/accounting software. Every industry, same action.
2. Week 2: Report something suspicious. See a weird email? Report it. Notice unusual system behavior? Tell IT. Build the habit of reporting, not ignoring.
3. Week 3: Check your passwords. Run your password manager's security audit. Identify and change weak or reused passwords. If you don't have a password manager, get one this week.
4. Week 4: Lock your screen. Every time you walk away. Make it muscle memory. Windows+L or Cmd+Ctrl+Q. Five keystrokes to protect patient, client, or customer data.

See yourself in cyber. Because you are cyber, whether you realize it or not.