Cyber Awareness Month 2024

Cyber crime threatens patient safety. It can be a matter of life and death.

Cyber Security Awareness Month is an international initiative that educates everyone about cyber safety and is here to remind us that there are simple ways to protect the NHS (and yourself) from online threats.

This year we are focusing on the top ways to stay safe and secure. These are:

• use strong passwords
• turn on multifactor authentication
• recognise and report phishing
• keep up to date with learning

Cyber criminals carry out malicious activity to steal sensitive data to prevent access to essential patient information or online healthcare systems seeking financial gain. This has a direct impact on patient safety and care.

Working together to defend against cyber threats and focusing on everyday good cyber behaviours is the biggest defence we have against criminals. Actions such as using 3 random words to create a stronger password, reporting suspicious emails and being aware of who you are sharing sensitive data with all help to keep patients and NHS data safe.

Find out more about how you can stay safe and secure.

This podcast series explores current and relevant cyber security topics affecting health and care, from threat intelligence to the importance of diversity in cyber teams. Learn more about our podcasts.

Listen to our podcast 'Mind the gender gap' on SoundCloud.

Listen to our podcast 'Old tech, new threats or new tech, old threats?' on SoundCloud.

If you are wondering, ‘What has cyber security got to do with me?’ The answer could be to turn off the machine you are using and now try doing your job.

Cyber attacks are a patient safety issue and every person in health and adult social care has a responsibility to help protect patients and NHS data. Recognising common security threats and taking simple steps to minimise risks can help keep us safe.

During this year’s Cyber Security Awareness Month you can: 

• learn new cyber security skills
• find out how our products and services can help protect your team or organisation
• raise awareness of common security threats by running your own campaign
• become a security champion
• take a password pledge

View all training

Raise awareness of common cyber security threats and learn how you and your team can help protect patients and data.

Download our campaign resources to help.

The campaign toolkit includes screensavers, animations, digital banners, social media content, and more.

We've created two versions of our Keep I.T. Confidential toolkit. One for health and one for adult social care to use.

Run your own campaign.

We protect healthcare systems from cyber attacks and monitor for new threats 24 hours a day.

Our cyber and data security services are available to the NHS and social care.

The Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC) is part of the central security team for the NHS, protecting healthcare systems from  cyber attacks and monitoring for new threats 24 hours a day.

View all products and services

Our Cyber Associates Network (CAN) brings together experts from across public-sector health and care.