October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and we’re joining the global effort to help everyone stay safe online. The cyberthreat remains persistent and pervasive. Advances in technology—AI among them—have given cybercriminals new tools to evolve their techniques, accelerate their attacks, and improve their efficiency and effectiveness. That’s why now, more than ever, we need to strengthen our collective defenses.
Cybersecurity Is a Shared Responsibility
Cybersecurity is not just IT’s job. While technical controls like firewalls, antivirus software, and monitoring systems provide important layers of defense, they have their limits. Every member of our community plays a role in protecting campus data and systems. Your actions matter. Knowing how to spot and respond to threats is one of the most effective defenses we have against cyberattacks.
The Core 4: Small Actions, Big Impact
This October, we’ll highlight the Core 4—four simple but powerful actions you can take to strengthen cybersecurity on campus and at home:
- Use strong passwords and a password manager
- Turn on multifactor authentication
- Update your software
- Recognize and report scams
These may look familiar, and that’s because they remain the most effective steps for protecting yourself and safeguarding campus systems. Bad actors thrive on easy wins—weak passwords, outdated software, and unreported phishing attempts. The Core 4 is how we shut those doors.
Participate in Awareness Activities
Throughout the month, you’ll see tips, resources, and opportunities to get involved. Here are some ways you can dive deeper:
Phishing Simulation: We’ll conduct two phishing simulations in the last weeks of October and the first weeks of November. If you see unusual or suspicious emails, report them as you would any other spam or phishing messages. Your vigilance keeps our community safer.
Get cybersecurity trained! If you haven’t completed your cybersecurity awareness training yet, please do so. We aim for all faculty, staff, and first-year students to complete Cybersecurity 101 by the end of the month. It doesn’t take long. Employees who complete the training by the end of October will be entered into a drawing for two Bon Appétit lunch vouchers. Access the training here.
Cybersecurity Town Hall: CyberPop Daemon Hunters
Join Kendall George, information security officer for Carleton and St. Olaf Colleges, at our annual cybersecurity town hall. This engaging, interactive session will describe the current state of cyberthreats in higher education and the steps you can take to keep both campus and your own digital life secure. There will be ample time for questions and answers. A Carleton or St. Olaf login is required to join.
📅 Thursday October 9 at noon
Join via Zoom
Your Role in Our Security
Cybersecurity doesn’t have to be intimidating. Small actions—choosing a strong password, enabling MFA, staying on top of updates, reporting suspicious activity—add up to a big impact.
Thank you for doing your part to keep our community secure.
Kendall George
Information Security Officer
Carleton and St. Olaf Colleges