Every October, the cybersecurity industry bands together to raise awareness of the growing risks associated with sophisticated, pervasive cyber threats. With an expanding attack landscape and AI’s increased adoption, prioritizing personal and business security and cyber threat prevention is more crucial than ever.
Cybersecurity Awareness Month is an opportunity for cybersecurity companies to elevate their brand visibility and showcase their expertise, and their marketing teams play a critical role in these efforts. To learn more about what goes on behind the scenes, we talked to marketing executives from our cybersecurity practice to understand how they cut through the noise during Cybersecurity Awareness Month. They shared valuable insights about how, throughout October and beyond, they work to position their brands as industry leaders, build credibility, and empower businesses and consumers to stay vigilant in the ever-evolving cyber threat landscape.
What are your key priorities for Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2024, and how do they align with your company’s broader business and marketing objectives?
So much of how we work today involves our mobile devices. So this year’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month theme of Secure Your World is very relevant for iVerify. Everyone would acknowledge that our mobile devices are central to how we communicate. Mobile technology has transformed how we live and work. Our mobile devices are by our side 24/7 and are integral to our daily lives. Keeping these devices secure is central to securing our world. – Lisa O’Reilly, VP of Marketing, iVerify
Cybersecurity Awareness Month is often seen as a consumer-focused marketing campaign. However, our customers and prospects are all thinking about cybersecurity, not only as consumers but also as business users. We intentionally timed our latest product milestone to launch at the start of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, with the goal of helping our customers proactively protect their most critical assets. – Beth Barach, Senior Director of Product Marketing, NetSPI
How does your Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2024 marketing strategy stand out in such a crowded marketplace?
During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we walk a fine line between consumer and B2B marketing campaigns. Our strategy balances tactical advice to help security teams and employees recognize and prevent social engineering attacks, with lighthearted messages such as our cybersecurity-themed remake of the Monster Mash. Ultimately, we’re helping our customers build and maintain trust with their end users, equipping everyone with more robust cybersecurity practices. We’re fortunate to highlight insights from our security experts, The NetSPI Agents, to help prepare businesses for stronger social engineering testing. – Michelle Peterson, Senior Content Marketing Manager, NetSPI
We have two foundational advantages: A CEO willing to push the boundaries and a cyber team that is extremely knowledgeable and well-connected. A marketing team can make lots of noise, but you need the credibility of industry experts behind the marketing to drive change. – Russ Miller, VP of Product Marketing, Immersive Labs
As cybersecurity threats evolve, what should organizations keep at the top of their minds beyond Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2024 to ensure long-term resilience?
Threats to mobile devices are real. It’s not a question of if a mobile device will lead to a corporate breach; it’s a question of when it will happen. With 71% of employees’ phones containing corporate credentials, it’s important to ensure that all mobile devices, both BYOD and corporate devices, have mobile security. – Lisa O’Reilly, VP of Marketing, iVerify
Two things. 1: “Mental muscle memory” is something we need to start focusing on more. It’s not enough to learn a topic from a textbook. People need to practice. That’s why children have fire drills. Large global enterprises need to do the same. 2: Microsimulations are another. Learning needs to be continuous. It’s not something that people can do once a year and move on. Sending cybersecurity people to once-a-year training and certification classes isn’t enough when threats evolve daily. And having the entire organization take cyber compliance videos that are a rush to the finish is “soul-sucking” – Russ Miller, VP of Product Marketing, Immersive Labs
What role do employee education and internal communication play in your Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2024 initiatives? How do you balance educating internal teams with external outreach efforts?
Debunking common misbeliefs about mobile security is critical for organizations, and Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2024 is a great time to make a list of how to keep your mobile devices safe. For example, do not use public Wi-Fi, your boss is not asking you to send him gift cards or to reset his password, and keep your phone’s operating system up-to-date. – Lisa O’Reilly, VP of Marketing, iVerify
How do you see cybersecurity marketing evolving over the next few years, and what advice would you give organizations to stay ahead of emerging challenges?
Cyber drills will become an essential part of how organizations measure their human cyber capability and resilience. Measurement is the key that enables all other elements of cybersecurity. Boards and regulations will begin demanding evidence of cyber readiness, and cyber drills will be an essential part of the response. – Russ Miller, VP of Product Marketing, Immersive Labs
Cybersecurity marketing is actively evolving now. It’s no longer enough to message solely on stopping threats; we need to focus on how our experience and expertise working with organizations like yours will help you successfully protect your organization and keep your employees safe. – Lisa O’Reilly, VP of Marketing at iVerify
Want to see more of our work in the cybersecurity space? Check out some case studies here.