Every October, you may notice posts, posters and events about “Cybersecurity Awareness Month” appearing on your timeline. Banks send safety reminders, universities hold seminars, and companies remind their staff not to click strange links. But where did this tradition start, and why should it matter to us here in Pakistan?
Let’s take a short walk through it together.
How it all started: Cybersecurity Awareness Month began in October 2004 in the United States. It was started jointly by the National Cyber Security Alliance (now the National Cybersecurity Alliance – NCA), a non-profit organisation, and the US Department of Homeland Security.
The idea was simple, set aside one month every year to remind ordinary people that staying safe online is everyone’s responsibility, not just the IT department’s job.
In those early days, the advice was very basic. People were told to update their antivirus software twice a year, much like checking the batteries in a smoke alarm. In 2010, the campaign introduced a simple message that is still used today: STOP. THINK. CONNECT. In other words, pause for a moment before you click, share or download. Over the years the month grew far beyond the US. Today, governments, universities, companies, NGOs and individuals around the world take part. 2026 is the 23rd year of this campaign.
What’s happening around the world this year: This year’s global theme from the National Cybersecurity Alliance and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is “Don’t Make It Easy for Them.” The message is that most online criminals look for easy targets, and a few simple habits can make you a much harder one:
- Use strong, unique passwords for each important account
- Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA), the extra code or approval step when you log in
- Keep your phone, computer and apps updated
- Think before you click on any message, link or attachment
In Europe, October is also European Cybersecurity Month, supported by the EU’s cybersecurity agency ENISA and the European Commission. This year it also encourages young people to consider cybersecurity as a career, since many countries face a shortage of skilled people in this field.
Why this matters for us in Pakistan: These global tips may sound familiar, but here in Pakistan the risks come in a very local shape. Many of us, or someone in our family, have received:
- A call from someone pretending to be from a bank, JazzCash or Easypaisa, asking for an OTP or PIN
- A WhatsApp message asking you to share a six-digit code, which can let a stranger take over your account
- A “lucky draw” or government support SMS asking you to click a link or pay a fee
- A part-time job offer on WhatsApp or Telegram that asks for money upfront
Most of these scams don’t need any advanced hacking. They succeed because the scammer finds it easy: a shared code, a reused password, or a moment of trust. That’s why “Don’t Make It Easy for Them” fits our situation so well.
What we at CyberWalk.pk are doing this October
We are a small team, and many people in Pakistan have been working on online safety long before us. This October, we are adding our share to the worldwide effort:
- Webinar series: weekly webinars open to everyone, on passwords and MFA, current scams in Pakistan, reporting cybercrime under the NCCIA and PECA, and digital rights.
- Weekly quizzes: plus a Grand Quiz at the end of the month.
- Pakistan Cyber Warriors: our student and young professional volunteers who help run the sessions and activities this month.
- Two in-person events in Rawalpindi & Islamabad: scheduled two in-person workshops and awareness walk jointly with the Pakistan Information Security Association (PISA) and the Internet Society (ISOC) Pakistan Islamabad Chapter.
- A registered Champion of the global Cybersecurity Awareness Month campaign.
What matters most is that these messages reach our common people, parents, students, professionals, and businesses in their own context.
To stay updated on our upcoming webinars, quizzes, the in-person events, and other activities, please follow our CyberWalk Pakistan LinkedIn page.
Online safety and cybersecurity are not a one-month task, but October gives us all a good reason to start. Let’s make it a little harder for scammers, together. 💚🇵🇰
Full Sources List:
- National Cybersecurity Alliance launches the 23rd annual Cybersecurity Awareness Month (VMblog)
- The History of Cybersecurity Awareness Month (Living Security)
- European Cybersecurity Month 2026 (Digital Skills and Jobs Platform, EU)
- Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Don’t Make It Easy For Them (Cyber Magazine)