October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month: 3 Pillars of Cybersecure Culture

Research reveals that business e-mail compromise (BEC) techniques like phishing continue to pose a significant threat to businesses across the industry spectrum. In 2025, BEC generated more than $3 billion in reported losses, while phishing and spoofing represented the most-reported cybercrime category.

For small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), the financial and operational impact of a cyberattack can be especially significant. Beyond immediate financial losses, a security incident can disrupt business operations, compromise sensitive data, damage customer trust and require valuable time and resources to resolve. These risks underscore the importance of building cyber resilience and making cybersecurity an ongoing business priority.

That’s one reason October is recognized as Cybersecurity Awareness Month, an annual initiative designed to help individuals and organizations strengthen their online security. Since 2004, government and industry have worked together each October to increase cybersecurity awareness and provide resources that help people stay safer online. For 2026, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is emphasizing four core actions: recognizing and reporting phishing scams, using strong passwords, enabling multifactor authentication and password managers, and keeping software updated. 

But Cybersecurity Awareness Month is also a valuable reminder of something businesses need to practice throughout the year: cybersecurity is not solely an IT responsibility. As champions of managing IT to develop thriving businesses, especially SMBs, we wholly endorse this annual initiative. What is the key to cyber resilience? We believe it’s fostering a cybersecure company culture built upon three pillars.

1. Leading by Example

What role does leadership play in cybersecurity? A significant one. Culture flows from the top, and business leaders have an opportunity to demonstrate that cybersecurity deserves the same attention as other important business priorities.

Start by creating regular conversations about cybersecurity within your organization. Leadership can reinforce the importance of following security procedures, protecting credentials, identifying suspicious communications and promptly reporting potential threats.

This commitment should extend beyond the IT department. Executives, managers and employees all interact with technology and data, making cybersecurity a shared business responsibility.

Leaders can also demonstrate good security habits themselves. Following company policies, using strong passwords, enabling multifactor authentication and taking cybersecurity training seriously can help reinforce the behaviors expected throughout the organization.

The objective is to create a workplace where employees understand that cybersecurity protects the entire business, from its systems and information to customers and day-to-day operations.

2. Prioritizing Cybersecurity Policies

Why are cybersecurity policies important for SMBs? Clear policies establish expectations and provide employees with guidance for handling technology, information and potential security threats consistently.

Cybersecurity policies should address areas that are relevant to the organization and its technology environment. This may include password and authentication requirements, acceptable use of company technology, software updates, data protection, remote access, incident reporting and procedures for responding to suspicious e-mails or messages. Policies are most effective when employees understand them. Avoid creating requirements so complicated that they become difficult to follow. Instead, communicate expectations clearly and explain why particular practices matter.

Businesses should also recognize that cybersecurity is continually evolving. New technologies, changing work environments and emerging cyber threats can create new risks. Reviewing security policies periodically can help ensure they remain aligned with the way employees work and the technologies the business uses.

CISA also recommends several additional steps for organizations, including backing up and encrypting data, using system logging, developing an incident response plan and preparing for system disruptions. 

3. Share Knowledge Through Recurring Cybersecurity Training

How can employee cybersecurity training reduce business risk? By helping employees recognize common threats and understand what to do when they encounter them.

Cybercriminals frequently rely on people as part of their attacks. Phishing e-mails and business e-mail compromise schemes, for example, may attempt to persuade someone to provide information, click a malicious link or authorize an illegitimate transaction.

That is why cybersecurity education should not be treated as a one-time event. Provide recurring training for employees at every level of the organization, from frontline employees to the C-suite. Training can reinforce how to recognize phishing attempts, protect passwords and accounts, use multifactor authentication and report suspicious activity.

The goal is not to turn every employee into a cybersecurity expert. It is to build greater awareness and establish good cybersecurity habits that employees can apply during everyday activities.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is an ideal opportunity to reinforce those lessons, but awareness should continue throughout the year.

Building a Cybersecure Culture Starts With Everyone

Technology plays a critical role in cybersecurity, but technology alone cannot create a cybersecure organization. People, policies and leadership must work together to build a culture in which protecting the business becomes part of everyday operations.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month provides a timely opportunity for SMB leaders to evaluate where their organizations stand. Are leaders setting the right example? Are cybersecurity policies clear and current? Do employees receive ongoing training to help identify and respond to potential threats? The answers can help reveal opportunities to strengthen your organization’s cybersecurity posture.

And you don’t have to manage those challenges alone. An experienced managed services provider (MSP) can help SMBs assess their IT environments, identify potential vulnerabilities and develop cybersecurity strategies that support their specific business needs.