Brampton: Step up your cyber fitness this Cybersecurity Awareness Month
The Voice of Canada News:
BRAMPTON, ON (October 13, 2023) – The City of Brampton recognizes October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month (Cyber Month), an annual international campaign to help the public learn more about the importance of cybersecurity and the simple steps everyone can take online to protect themselves and their devices.
The theme for Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2023 is Step Up Your Cyber Fitness. It encourages individuals to stretch their cybersecurity muscles and take things online one step at a time!
Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. Each day, Brampton’s residents, visitors and employees connect with friends and family online, make online payments, register for programming or answer emails. Each day, the City takes steps to ensure our networks are safe, data is secure, and residents and businesses are prepared to keep Brampton’s community cyber smart and safe.
Through partnerships with Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University and the Federal Government, the City launched Canada’s First Cybersecurity Accelerator in Brampton in 2020. This is a space for Canada’s first commercial accelerator specifically designed to help scale-up companies in cybersecurity by offering the essential tools they need to succeed nationally and internationally.
Also, at the Cybersecure Catalyst, is the Cyber Range which is a unique cybersecurity training and testing platform that provides experiential learning opportunities that are both immersive and ultra-realistic. Featuring a customizable technology platform and an array of real-world cyberattack scenarios, our Cyber Range will ensure your team is well-prepared to defend your organization during an attack.
Brampton is building a cybersecurity ecosystem by creating a space for the next generation to learn and grow. Toronto Metropolitan University’s The Chang School of Continuing Education offers cybersecurity courses at Brampton’s City Hall. In addition, Sheridan College offers cybersecurity programs at its Davis Campus in Brampton, along with continuing education courses at Brampton Library’s Four Corners branch.
Brampton has quickly become a Centre of Excellence for Innovation, and to continue to support growth in this sector, we are ensuring our spaces and services are trustworthy and secure so that businesses can grow confidently. As a key contributor within Canada’s Innovation Corridor, we remain steadfast in our commitment to continuing to collaborate to strengthen our digital defences.
The City’s employees work diligently to provide the services and information Brampton residents and businesses rely on while safeguarding their personal data. This includes implementing a variety of cybersecurity measures and regularly educating them on ways to be cyber safe.
“Cybersecurity education empowers individuals within to recognize and respond effectively to cyber threats, safeguarding sensitive data in the workplace and at home. The more we all know, the more vigilant we can be. This month, let’s make a commitment to keep making cybersecurity a part of our daily routine, just like brushing our teeth or locking our doors. We can take a proactive stance in protecting our digital lives, not just in October, but every day of the year. Cybersecurity awareness is something that takes practice and consistency and should not be limited to a single month. By putting some practical and simple steps in place, everyone can be a bit safer online.”
– Doug Elsmore, Chief Information Officer, City of Brampton
Cybersecurity Tips
1.Strong passwords can help keep your information and devices secure. A unique phrase is a great way to create a strong password that is easy to remember.
• The longer the password, the stronger it is. Consider creating passwords that are at least 12 characters long to better protect your data.
• Passwords should be as unique as you are. Be creative – use capital letters, numbers and special characters to make your password harder to guess.
2.Multi-factor authentication (MFA) provides much stronger protection than just a password because it confirms the person signing into your account is really you.
• MFA is also known as two-step verification and can be used to keep your personal accounts like LinkedIn, Amazon, PayPal or webmail secure.
3.Phishing scams lure you to click on dangerous links or trick a person into revealing sensitive information.
• Think before you click. Confirm the source and be cautious about clicking on unexpected links or attachments.
