In today’s digital world, cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility. 

Join us this October for National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM), an annual campaign to share helpful resources everyone needs to stay safe and secure online. The 2026 theme is “Don’t make it easy for them.” Cybercriminals are constantly on the prowl for easy targets.  

Throughout the month, Cornell’s IT Security Office will share simple but powerful actions that everyone can take to strengthen our cybersecurity:

• Update your computer and software when prompted. These regular updates fix vulnerabilities that cybercriminals target.
• If you haven’t already, update your password, and make it strong. All NetID passwords created or changed before February 2026 need to be updated.  
• Use multifactor authentication for your Cornell and personal accounts. Do not provide Duo codes to anyone. Criminals pretend to be IT workers and ask for passwords and codes to steal your data and money.
• Learn how to recognize and report scams. 

Please join me this month in staying safe online. The more informed and empowered you and I are, the safer our community is.

Thank you.

Robert Edamala
Chief Information Security Officer
Information Technologies at Cornell