The rise of generative AI and advanced tools used by attackers makes Cybersecurity Awareness Month – a national effort to rally organizations, employees, and citizens to do more to protect ourselves and our communities online – more important than ever this October.

“Cybersecurity is a critical theater in defending our homeland,” said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. “Every day, bad actors are trying to steal information, sabotage critical infrastructure, and use cyberspace to exploit American citizens.” 

This year, the stakes are higher, the threats more varied, and the landscape more complex with IBM estimating that the global average cost of a data breach crossed $4.88 million last year.

“Critical infrastructure – whether in the hands of state and local entities, private businesses, or supply chain partners – is the backbone of our daily lives,” said Acting CISA Director Madhu Gottumukkala. “Whenever it’s disrupted, the effects ripple through communities across America.”

2025 Theme: Building a Cyber Strong America

For 2025, CISA and its partners center the campaign on Building a Cyber Strong America, emphasizing that our critical infrastructure — and the millions of small and medium businesses, local governments, and supply chains that support it — must be fortified.

“Cybersecurity is more than an IT issue—it’s a public safety and economic security priority. Many organizations are part of the nation’s critical infrastructure, from local utilities and transportation systems to hospitals, schools and public safety agencies. And many small and medium size businesses play an important role in critical infrastructure, who might be suppliers, contractors, vendors, manufacturers, or another role that helps keep critical infrastructure operating,” says CISA, America’s Cyber Defense Agency.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the federal lead for the campaign, provides resources for organizations to help educate employees and other organizations that are connected in some way. Cybersecurity Awareness Month is supported by corporations, government agencies, businesses, tribes, nonprofits and professionals committed to cybersecurity education and protecting our communities.

Why Cybersecurity Awareness Month Matters More Than Ever in 2025

Cyber risks are no longer abstract. They’re pervasive, sophisticated, and increasingly automated. Here are some of the most pressing trends and data points:

• IT Pro reports that credential theft surged 160 percent in 2025 as AI-powered phishing and the growth of Malware as a Service means hackers are compromising more accounts than ever.
• Fortinet says that deepfakes and synthetic identity fraud are also surging with 47 percent of organizations having experienced deepfake attacks.
• CFO reports that 85 percent of cybersecurity professionals attribute the increase in cyberattacks to generative AI used by bad actors, who now have faster, smarter ways to exploit systems.
• Astra says that ransomware attacks have risen 13 percent in the last five years and that by 2031 a ransomware attack will occur every two seconds.
• Viking Cloud estimates that cybercrime will cost businesses a cumulative $10.5 trillion in 2025 and could reach as high as $15.63 trillion by 2029.

These numbers reinforce something you may already know: awareness alone is not enough. Organizations must move from “check-the-box” security training toward behaviors, resilience, and coordination.

Four Essentials to Protect Your Business

CISA says that cybercriminals look for easy targets so businesses and organizations without basic precautions become easy prey for cyberattacks.

A good start is to follow these four essential steps to safeguard data and enable your employees to stop attacks before they happen:

1. Teach Employees to Avoid Phishing Scams: Phishing tricks employees into opening malicious attachments or sharing sensitive information. Train staff to recognize and report suspicious activity.
2. Require Strong Passwords: Strong passwords are a simple but powerful way to block criminals from accessing your accounts through guessing or automated attacks. Make them mandatory for all users.
3. Require Multifactor Authentication: MFA adds an extra layer of security beyond passwords. Require it to make accounts significantly safer. Use phishing-resistant MFA where available.
4. Update Business Software: Outdated software can contain exploitable flaws. Promptly install security updates and patches to keep your systems protected. 

Level Up Your Cybersecurity Defenses

The four steps above are a good start but businesses should also level up their defenses with the following practices:

• Use Logging on Your Systems: Log activity so your team can monitor signs that threat actors may be trying to access your systems. Learn how to monitor key information.
• Back Up Data: Incidents happen, but when you back up critical information, recovery is faster and less stressful. Put a backup plan in place that aligns with your organization’s recovery point objective to protect your systems and keep things running smoothly.
• Encrypt Data: Encrypting your data and devices strengthens your defense against attacks. Even if criminals gain access to your files, information stays locked and unreadable. Make encryption part of your security strategy.
  
  

CISA also suggests two additional actions including sharing information on cyber-attacks:

• Share Cyber Incident Information with CISA: When organizations and CISA share threat information, everyone is safer. Report incidents to help CISA warn others and get information in return to help you stay ahead of threats: cisa.gov/report
• Migrate to the .Gov Domain (if your organization is eligible): CISA ensures that only legitimate government entities can use a .gov web address. Migrate your website and email to increase public trust and reduce the chance of impersonation attacks. Check your eligibility and learn more at get.gov.

“Cyber threats are evolving fast. This October, make cybersecurity a priority and take decisive steps to protect your organization and others who depend on your services,” advises CISA.

Why ATSI Cares — and What You Can Do

At ATSI, we understand that cybersecurity isn’t just an IT or compliance issue — it’s a foundational enabler of trust, stability, and scalability for our clients and partners. Especially as more services, institutions, and communities become digitally interconnected, the weaker links matter more than ever.

Here are a few starter steps ATSI-governed or client-aligned organizations might take this month:

• Share customized, on-brand awareness materials (emails, intranet banners).
• Host a lunch-and-learn session or virtual webinar on real threat scenarios.
• Run internal phishing or simulation campaigns (with coaching).
• Spotlight “security champions” in teams who can act as peer educators.
• Recognize and reward good security behavior (reporting phishing, patching promptly).
• Partner with clients to share best practices and co-promote awareness.

The Strategic Imperative of Cybersecurity

As we move forward, some strategic themes will increasingly define success (or failure) in cybersecurity:

• Resilience over prevention: Acknowledging that breaches will happen, and designing systems to recover fast
• Shared responsibility and information sharing: Especially across supply chains, municipalities, and industry sectors
• Behavioral and human-centric design: Making secure behavior easier and safer by default
• Consolidation, orchestration, and automation: Reducing tool sprawl and improving response coordination
• Responsible AI and governance: As AI becomes part of both offense and defense, organizations must manage its risks proactively

Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2025 is an opportunity — again — to remind ourselves that security is a collective effort. Whether you’re a CISO, developer, administrative assistant, or someone checking email on your phone, every action counts.

At ATSI, we help organizations strengthen their defenses with secure communication solutions, proactive support, and the expertise to turn cybersecurity awareness into lasting resilience. Reach out to ATSI today to learn how we can support your team and protect what matters most.