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National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Cybersecurity Awareness Month - Week Two: Where do Risks Appear?

Tune in each week to dial up your security skills

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a time to focus on the role each of us plays in protecting the technology, information, and digital resources we depend on every day. This year, the University of Tennessee is approaching Cybersecurity Awareness Month by asking five simple questions: What, Where, When, Why, and How? 

Throughout the month, we will explore:

  • WHAT we are protecting,
  • WHERE cybersecurity risks can appear,
  • WHEN you should stop and think,
  • WHY cybersecurity matters, and
  • HOW you can continue learning and building stronger cybersecurity habits.  

WEEK TWO: Where are the Risks? 

Last week, we kicked off Cybersecurity Awareness Month by asking: WHAT are we protecting? This week, we move to our second question: WHERE are the risks? The simple answer is almost anywhere we access, use, share, or store information. 

Cybersecurity risks are not limited to suspicious emails arriving in your UT Inbox. They can appear in text messages, QR codes, websites, social media, cloud services, mobile apps, collaboration tools, and even search results. These risks can follow you from your office or classrooms to your home, your favorite coffee shop, airports, hotels, and anywhere else we connect. 

Where you use your devices: 
Sometimes the risk comes from the tools we use every day—an outdated device or software, an unprotected account, an unsecure Wi-Fi network, or an app on your device with access to more information than it should. Other times, it is where attackers try to deceive through impersonation attempts, fake login pages, and fraudulent requests. 

Where you share your information: 

Not every cybersecurity risk is digital, either. A computer left unlocked in a shared space, sensitive information visible on a screen, confidential documents left on a printer, a lost device, or someone entering a restricted area without authorization can create just as much risk as clicking a malicious link. Physical security and cybersecurity are often closely connected. 

Where you store your information: 

And the risks do not stop when the workday ends. Your personal email, financial accounts, home networks, smart devices, social media, and family members can all be targets. Good cybersecurity habits protect both your university and your personal life. 

Knowing WHERE risks can appear helps us recognize when something deserves a little more attention. 

That leads us to next week’s question: WHEN should we stop, think, and take a closer look? 

Brought to you as a collaborative effort from UT Knoxville’s Office of Innovative Technologies and UT System’s Department of Technology Solutions, otherwise known as OneIT, with support from UT Knoxville’s College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies.

Previous Articles

Cybersecurity Awareness Month; Weel One; What are we protecting?

When OneIT shares cybersecurity risks with our UT community, it is easy to assume we are only talking about computers, networks, and technology. But what we are really protecting is much broader.

We are protecting the University, including:

  • Your whole digital identity, including your accounts.
  • University information, research, student and employee records, financial information, and other sensitive data that is entrusted to us.
  • Systems and services that allow the University to teach, conduct research, provide healthcare, serve our communities, and carry out its mission. 

Cybersecurity also extends beyond the University.

The same habits that protect you at UT can help protect your:

  • Family
  • Finances
  • Personal accounts
  • Photos
  • Devices
  • Personal identity

Most importantly, cybersecurity is not something that belongs only to IT or cybersecurity professionals. Every password we protect, multi-factor authentication request we review, software update we install, suspicious message we question, and piece of information we handle carefully contributes to a safer digital environment. 

So, as we begin Cybersecurity Awareness Month, start with one question: What are you protecting? 
The answer is probably more complex than you think. 

In Week Two, we will look at WHERE cybersecurity risks can appear, and they may be closer than you expect. 

Additional cybersecurity Learning Resources 

Share Cybersecurity Month Information with Others

  • Share the weekly stories with your colleagues, students, unit, or campus, tiny.utk.edu/CAM.
  • Download OneIT curated cybersecurity communications resources
    • Includes news images, digital signage, and social media graphics.
    • tiny.utk.edu/CAM/Comms-Toolkit: Available to all UT System employees by signing in with your UT credentials.

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