Every October, Cybersecurity Awareness Month reminds us of the importance of staying safe online and protecting our personal data, contributing to a more secure digital environment. Since 2004, this global initiative has educated individuals and organisations on ethical digital practices and the protection of their online assets. This year, academic networks across the Americas are joining forces to provide training on relevant cybersecurity topics from the beginning of October through the end of the year.
Although celebrated in October, cybersecurity doesn’t end with the month. Data protection is an ongoing commitment. That’s why this year, RedCLARA, CANARIE, Internet2, and LAC4, the Latin America and Caribbean Cyber Competence Centre, are going further by hosting the webinar series CyberBridges: Connecting the Americas for a Safer Research Future from October to December.
The series highlights cybersecurity across America and provides participants with fresh perspectives on this crucial area in Latin America. Each webinar will address key advances, challenges, and opportunities for research and education communities in the region.
The webinar series
All sessions will begin at 13:00 EST (Eastern Standard Time). Participation is free, but requiring registration. To facilitate international participation, simultaneous translation in Spanish, English, French, and Portuguese will be available.
The series opened on 7 October with the seminar “From Digital Deception to Institutional Resilience: Deepfakes, Social Engineering, and the Strategic Response of CSIRTs”, organised by RedCLARA. The recording (in Spanish) is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQUJV3s4xwA
The next session, led by LAC4, and on the theme of cybersecurity culture in research networks will take place on 21 October. Registrations are now open: https://redclara.zoom.us/meeting/register/1ftsBLJPTsKo3xcW_i5L9w#/registration
The series will then continue with a session led by Internet2 on 4 November, and will close on 2 December with a session led by CANARIE. Further information about these sessions and the registration forms will be available soon.
According to the 2024 Oh Behave! report by the National Cybersecurity Alliance, 84% of people consider online security a priority, but only 38% use unique passwords for all their accounts. About one-third started using a password manager after receiving cybersecurity training, 79% are aware of multi-factor authentication, and 69% feel confident in identifying phishing attempts.
These figures show that while digital security awareness continues to grow, there are still opportunities to improve online habits. Initiatives like the CyberBridges webinar series help strengthen good practices, share knowledge, and build a safer digital environment—not just during Cybersecurity Awareness Month, but throughout the entire year.
