National Computer Security Day is Almost Here, and Here’s How You Can Observe It

• Every year on November 30, National Computer Security Day is observed to keep online data safe.
• With more and more connected devices entering our lives, it is essential to be aware of the threats to computer security.

The history

National Computer Security Day came was introduced in the year 1988 by the Association for Computer Machinery (ACM). This was a time when computers were just starting to take over businesses and homes, but cyber threats have been around since the early days. As computers got more sophisticated, so did the threats associated with them.

November 30 is said to be chosen to improve focus on computer security during the U.S. holiday season.

How you can observe this day

This is a good day to review your computer’s security settings, online data privacy, and check for security flaws you may have left unpatched.

• Go through all of your passwords, and change the ones you haven’t changed in a long time. You can also review the strength of your passwords and make sure you have unique ones for each of your accounts.
• Make sure you have antivirus software up and running, and all the latest patches have been applied. Many of these patches may contain fixes for security laws, so it is essential that you take time out periodically to install these patches.
• Encrypt files and consider backing them up. This will ensure you can always access the data, even if you fall victim to a cyber attack.
• Organizations can consider revising their security policies and conducting workshops to ensure that employees are aware of the threats and emergency responses.

In the backdrop of growing ransomware attacks, data and security breaches, DDoS attacks, and the like, computer and online security must be taken seriously by individuals and organizations.

With the National Cybersecurity Month of October just gone, the National Computer Security Day is the perfect time to make sure that we are on track with our security goals.