What Does ECSM2022 Mean?
‘ECSM2022’ stands for European Cyber Security Month 2022 and it has been 10 years since ENISA – the European Union’s Cybersecurity Agency – began promoting the importance of internet security for the citizens of the European Union through activities, campaigns and sharing good practices throughout the month of October.
The protagonists of this great project are not only the governments of the EU nations, but also many other partners such as universities, professional associations and private business sectors.
All of these initiatives are characterised by a great common goal: ensure that online users know how to use internet platforms correctly, are aware of the risks they may face and how to maintain their security on the Internet.
As every year, two main topics were chosen for 2022 and this time it is the turn of ‘Phishing’ and ‘Ransomware’. These are two issues that may not be clear to everyone, so let’s try to take stock of the situation!
What is Phishing?
With the expression ‘Phishing’, we usually refer to a type of internet scam through which an attacker tries to trick the victim into providing personal information, financial data or access codes by posing as a trustworthy entity in a digital communication.
Falling into this trap is very easy, but on the other hand, there are some small tricks that can help us prevent this problem.
First of all, we should analyse if the language of the message we received is written in a professional way or if there are many grammatical errors? Moreover, does the message urge us to act urgently? And then, is our personal information requested?
All these listed above are just simple signs that should raise the “phishing alarm” in our mind.
Alternatively, if we assume we have already fallen into the trap, in the official page of Cyber Security Monday you can easily find the “Cyber First Aid” section. It is a collection of useful contacts of institutions that deal with these problems and can help with optimal solutions.
And What About Ransomware?
The second topic this year is ‘Ransomware’, a malware that blocks a user’s access to files on a computer. Cyberattackers make sure that paying the ransom is the quickest and least expensive option to recover access to an organisation’s files by encrypting these files and asking a ransom payment for the decryption key.
In order to prevent these cyber attacks, we can keep a few simple tips in mind.
Firstly never open an attached file of an email that appears suspicious. Secondly, never click on unknown links and above all never use USB unknown sticks. Always remember, better safe than sorry!
That’s why it’s better to choose a good antivirus for all our devices and constantly keep our software up-to-date.
Due to the importance and vastness of this issue, EU member states are supporting the campaign all around Europe by hosting a variety of events like conferences, workshops, and webinars. Additionally, they use social media awareness-raising content to promote proper cyber hygiene and security practices. So discover events on the official Cyber Security Month webpage or ENISA European Union Agency for Cybersecurity webpage and be part of the change!
You can also find more information on An Garda Siochana’s Twitter feed @gardainfo and on the GNCCB webpage.
Finally, join the campaign on Twitter and Facebook: @CyberSecMonth, #CyberSecMonth, #ThinkB4UClick
