Cyber Security Awareness Month 2020: Fortifying cyber resilience together

October 1, 2020 – Defence Stories

A message from DND’s Chief Information Officer

Living in a digitally connected world means that staying secure online and protecting your information is more important than ever. With thousands of Defence Team members currently working remotely due to COVID-19, it is imperative to be cyber conscious for the sake of the whole Defence Team and the important work we do.

Cyber Security Awareness Month (CSAM) is an international campaign recognized each year in the month of October aimed at promoting cyber hygiene and cyber security best practices. This year, the Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces (DND/CAF) is recognizing CSAM under the theme of “Cyber Resilience”.

The increasing dependence on technologies, as part of a changing global environment, will shape a cultural shift in attitudes surrounding the security of our systems. Strong leadership is essential in order to influence an evolution in thinking, where computer systems are considered equivalent to weapon systems. This is a vital component to maintaining the necessary capabilities for DND/CAF, amidst the rapidly evolving advances in the highly contested cyber domain.

Cyber resilience goes beyond the scope of technical specialists, and in fact, all Defence Team members play an important role in ensuring that DND/CAF remains cyber resilient. Safeguarding our networks and information through the application of simple cyber hygiene practices is essential. 

CSAM provides a valuable opportunity to educate and remind all of us about cyber security best practices that are applicable to both our professional and personal lives and devices. This Cyber Security Awareness Month, help strengthen the cybersecurity culture within the Defence Team and get involved, putting your cyber awareness and resilience to the test and into practice.

Over the course of the campaign, keep an eye out for articles and information on DND’s social media platforms, informative discussions, and interactive exercises that you can participate in during the month.

The duty to safeguard our systems and the information that is stored on them does not stop with Cyber Operators and Information Technology (IT) professionals; it is everyone’s responsibility to strengthen the Defence Team cybersecurity culture and maintain the advantage over our adversaries.

For the latest information, be sure to check out the CSAM campaign page on The Maple Leaf and keep an eye out on the DND/CAF social media channels to get involved.

BE CYBER RESILIENT: STAY AWARE | THINK RESILIENCE | TAKE ACTION

Stay (cyber) safe!

Len Bastien
Assistant Deputy Minister (Information Management)
National Defence Chief Information Officer