Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2026
Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2026 highlights a growing international consensus: effective cybersecurity requires more than awareness of digital threats; it demands consistent action, shared responsibility and organisational resilience. Drawing on international campaigns, supporting research and practical guidance, the report explores the shift from awareness to action and from prevention alone to resilience, highlighting the implications for individuals, organisations and risk management professionals. It also identifies freely available tools and resources that can support the development of more effective and sustainable cybersecurity practices.
October 2026 was the 23rd US Cybersecurity Awareness Month (National Cybersecurity Alliance [NCA], 2026). In Europe, the ECSM has run as an annual campaign since 2012/2013 (Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik [BSI], n.d.).
Despite differences in national and sectoral emphasis, the campaigns converge on a set of fundamental practices, including stronger authentication, phishing prevention, timely software updates, responsible use of artificial intelligence and continuous employee training. The growing sophistication of AI-enabled threats has reinforced the urgency of these measures, while recent research exposes a persistent gap between cybersecurity awareness and actual behaviour. At the same time, greater attention is being directed towards incident preparedness, business continuity and recovery, reflecting the recognition that cyber incidents cannot always be prevented.
Drawing on international campaigns, supporting research and practical guidance, the report explores the shift from awareness to action and from prevention alone to resilience, highlighting the implications for individuals, organisations and risk management professionals. It also identifies freely available tools and resources that can support the development of more effective and sustainable cybersecurity practices.
3 in 4 EU employees faced suspicious messages at work | 59% of Canadians had a cyber incident in the past year | 48% of EU employees can recognise an AI-generated fake video |
Key Practical Outcomes
The 2026 cybersecurity awareness campaigns converge on seven practical actions that individuals and organisations should take to strengthen their cyber resilience.
Key Statistics
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