Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Cybersecurity Awareness Month (CAM) is presented by the UC Office of Information Security (OIS).​​​​​​​

Cybersecurity awareness is the cornerstone of our collective security at UC, empowering us to navigate the digital world with confidence and vigilance. Keep scrolling to see some of the highlights from our Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2023.

What We Covered

We dove into the 4 Core Behaviors identified by the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA):

Katrina Biscay, UC's Chief Information Security Officer, offers a quick glimpse into the topic of phishing and shares tips to stay safe and avoid this type of scam. (Click here to watch the video.)

Keeping informed is key to maintaining your security! Share this printable awareness material with your circle: 

UC's Deputy CISO Matt Williams breaks down the essentials of strong passwords and password managers. (Click here to watch the video.)

A strong password is your first defense against cyber threats. Being well-informed is essential for your security! Pass on this printable information to spread awareness:

During Week 3, we highlighted the crucial role of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) in enhancing online security. Equip yourself with valuable insights—our printable materials offer a wealth of tips to share and strengthen your digital defenses:

Week 4 underscored the critical need for regular software updates. Neglected updates are a playground for hackers. Our printable guides provide essential tips for staying up-to-date and remaining secure:

In-Person Events

A picture of students standing next to the cybersecurity trivia wheel holding the t-shirts they won by participating.

Interactive Awareness Table @ TUC

On October 17-19, our Interactive Awareness Table at TUC became a hub for cybersecurity engagement. Students and our Office of Information Security staff were on hand to discuss cybersecurity topics, answer questions, and offer tips.

Visitors tested their knowledge on the trivia wheel and left with some Office of Information Security swag.

Picture of Office of Information Security student workers and staff at the annual shred event

Annual Shred Event

On October 24, the UC campus community gathered for our Annual Shred Event, providing a secure method to dispose of unneeded documents. This initiative helps prevent identity theft by ensuring the safe destruction of papers that may contain personal or sensitive information. It's a simple, yet effective way to protect against the misuse of data!

Cybersecurity Meme Contest

Meme of character panicking after realizing they just accepted  an MFA prompt without having tried to log in.

Congratulations to our 1st place winner Michael Hehman. This meme highlights a key security tip with humor: an unexpected MFA prompt might mean someone's trying to access your account. It's not just an extra security step; it's a warning to stay alert. Remember to always confirm it's you before approving that MFA prompt.

A meme showing a person with an 'I told you so' expression standing in front of a fire. The caption above reads, 'We don't need a budget for cybersecurity, what could go wrong?' and below, 'Me who suggested a budget.'

Hats off to our second-place meme master, Breanna King, whose meme delivers a powerful message about the importance of proactive cybersecurity measures.  It's a visual prompt that reminds us: foresight in cybersecurity is key. Let's not wait for the heat to rise before taking action!

Weekly Trivia

A close up of an image of a person surrounded by computer code, with a question mark replacing their head, symbolizing a trivia challenge for Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
  • Week 1: Fnu Aaliq Moin
  • Week 2: Peter Kobak
  • Week 3: Minh Nguyen
  • Week 4: Karen James

Congratulations to our winners! They each received OIS swag and well-deserved bragging rights!

Keynote Webinar

TechGuard Security logo

TechGuard experts covered four essential topics: phishing, passwords and password managers, multi-factor authentication, software updates, and AI. The presentation was folowed by a Q&A session.


As we look forward to Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2024, we want to remind you that cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. Stay informed year-round; our collective awareness is the strongest armor we have against current threats. Human error and lack of knowledge are always our weakest links, but together, we can stay informed and secure.

Thank you again for making October 2023 a month to remember. Let's continue to build a safer cyber community at the University of Cincinnati!

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