Cybersecurity Awareness Month is held every October. In the United States it is led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Cybersecurity Alliance. The 2026 theme is “Don’t Make It Easy for Them”, and it promotes four everyday behaviours.
The short answer. Cybersecurity Awareness Month runs every October, and in 2026 its theme is Don't Make It Easy for Them. The National Cybersecurity Alliance lets organisations register as Champions, which brings a free toolkit of posters and social graphics. In the European Union the matching campaign, European Cybersecurity Month, runs from 1 to 31 October 2026.
Last reviewed 5 October 2026. Based on the National Cybersecurity Alliance’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month page, the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity and the European Commission. UtilForge is a registered 2026 Champion of Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
The four behaviours
The National Cybersecurity Alliance’s page for 2026 words the four behaviours, which it calls the Core 4, like this:
- Use strong passwords and a password manager. Strong passwords and password managers sets out the guidance.
- Turn on multifactor authentication. Turn on two-step login covers where to start.
- Recognize and report scams. How to report a suspicious text or call and Check first are the UtilForge pages for this one.
- Update your software.
Ways a person can take part
The National Cybersecurity Alliance’s page lists these ways to take part:
- Register as a 2026 Champion. Champions receive the National Cybersecurity Alliance’s free Cybersecurity Awareness Month toolkit, which the page describes as a tipsheet, eight printable posters, 16 social media graphics and 16 Instagram Story graphics, in static and video forms.
- Request a speaker for an organisation.
- Subscribe to the National Cybersecurity Alliance newsletter.
- Become a sponsor.
The virtual kick-off took place on 1 October 2026. The registration page is staysafeonline.org/cybersecurity-awareness-month.
Ways an organisation can take part
These are UtilForge’s own suggestions, built on the National Cybersecurity Alliance toolkit:
- Put one of the printable posters where staff or members will see it, and change it each week.
- Send the week’s behaviour in the newsletter or the staff channel, with the matching guide.
- Ask each team to turn on a second check for the work email account in the week the National Cybersecurity Alliance covers multifactor authentication.
- Hand out the free Check first field guide, a 28-page PDF (Portable Document Format) file, to staff, members or the people the organisation supports.
The four-week Check first plan lays out a week-by-week order for these.
Outside the United States
In the European Union, the annual campaign is European Cybersecurity Month, coordinated by the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, and the European Commission. In 2026 it runs from 1 to 31 October.
Sources
- National Cybersecurity Alliance, Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2026
- The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, European Cybersecurity Month
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