Don’t Make It Easy for Them! October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month!

Cybercriminals are always looking for the easy way in — a weak or reused password, an unprotected account, an ignored software update, or one hurried click on a suspicious message.

The good news? You don't have to be a cybersecurity expert to make their job harder. A few simple habits can make a big difference in protecting your accounts, devices and information.   

Throughout October, the Lone Star College Office of Technology Services (OTS) is sharing simple ways you can Make Life Difficult for Cybercriminals.

Don't give them the shortcut they're looking for.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month Presentations

Advanced Phishing, Password Hygiene, and MFA Fatigue

Want to take your cybersecurity knowledge a step further?

Join Bill Derwostyp, OTS Cybersecurity Strategist, for Advanced Phishing, Password Hygiene, and MFA Fatigue and learn more about the tactics cybercriminals use and the everyday steps you can take to better protect yourself and your accounts.

Choose the session that works best for you:
Oct. 6 | 10:30 a.m.
Oct. 8 | 1 p.m.
Oct. 12 | 11 a.m.
Oct. 14 | 1 p.m.
Oct. 20 | 11 a.m.
Oct. 22 | 2 p.m.
Oct. 28 | 11 a.m.
Oct. 29 | 12 p.m.

Check your email for the Webex link.

Employees! Enroll Now in MyWorkshops to be able to claim PD credit for attending.

Important! To receive PD credit for attending, participants must:

• Attend for at least 80% of the session
• Rename yourself in the meeting to your first and last name

Did You Know?

Lone Star College is one of only seven schools in Texas to develop its own cybersecurity awareness training program that has been reviewed and approved by the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR).

Employees may recognize it as the Cybersecurity Mandatory Training video included in this year's mandatory training series. Developed right here at LSC, the training helps employees recognize cybersecurity risks and build safer habits to protect themselves and the College.

Cybersecurity is something we all play a part in — and it starts with awareness.

Use Long, Unique Passwords

Cybercriminals don't have to sit around guessing passwords one at a time.

Dariy Pankov, known among hackers as “dpxaker,” made money selling password-cracking software to other criminals. Tools like these can test thousands of password combinations every second. And cybercriminals especially love short passwords, reused passwords, pet names and birthdays.

Make their job harder:

• Go long. Make every password at least 16 characters.
• Make it unique. Use a different password for every account.
• Mix it up. Use a random combination of letters, numbers and symbols.
• Use a password manager. Let it create and securely store strong passwords for you.

Why does length matter?
According to the National Cybersecurity Alliance, an 8-character password can be cracked in seconds, while a complex 16-character password can take billions of years to crack.

DPXAKER may be fast. Your password can make sure he's not fast enough.

Enable Multifactor Authentication

A strong password is an important first line of defense. But what happens if a cybercriminal gets it anyway?

Multifactor authentication (MFA) adds another layer of protection by requiring you to verify your identity in more than one way before accessing an account.

According to the National Cybersecurity Alliance, Zestix and her accomplices compromised more than 50 multinational companies where MFA wasn't enabled. Cybercriminals can obtain stolen passwords from data breaches and other sources and use automated tools to try those credentials on other accounts.

Cancel their ticket:

• Enable MFA on every account that offers it.
• Use an authenticator app such as Duo, Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator when available.
• Use biometrics, such as Face ID, when available.
• Don't reuse passwords or simply create variations of the same password for multiple accounts.     

Think of MFA as another locked door. Even if a cybercriminal manages to get one of your keys, you've given them another obstacle to overcome.

Your account. Your money. Their trip? DENIED.

Keep Your Software Updated

We've all done it. An update notification appears right when we're in the middle of something, and “Remind Me Later” is awfully tempting.

But software updates aren't just about new features. They can fix security vulnerabilities that cybercriminals are actively looking to exploit.

According to the National Cybersecurity Alliance, Cozy Bear actively hunts for outdated and unpatched software. When an update is released to fix a vulnerability, cybercriminals can study what was fixed and then look for devices that haven't installed the update yet.

Don't feed the bears:

• Turn on automatic updates whenever possible.
• Keep everything current. Regularly update operating systems, browsers, apps and devices.
• Restart when needed. Some updates can't finish installing until you restart your device.

As the National Cybersecurity Alliance puts it, software updates are full of “Bear repellent.” 

Don't hibernate on those updates.

Recognize and Report Phishing

There's just one problem: they plan to keep every penny.

Giant Company was a name associated with a massive scam operation based in Myanmar that targeted people in the United States. Nearly 300 people were arrested and nine scam centers were disrupted in connection with the crackdown. But operations like this represent only a fraction of the scams happening every day. 

Scammers may impersonate your bank, your boss, a delivery company, customer support or even someone you know. They want you to click their links, answer their calls, respond to messages and, eventually, hand over money or information.

Don't take the bait:

• Be suspicious of unexpected messages, especially ones that seem urgent.
• Take a few extra seconds before clicking, responding or taking action.
• Watch for emotional pressure. Fear, urgency, excitement and promises of prizes or opportunities can be used to make you act quickly.
• Recognize and report phishing. If something doesn't look or feel right, don't engage with it. 

You don't have to click.
You don't have to respond.
You don't have to answer that unexpected call.

When something smells phishy, trust your instincts. Train your skepticism and don't take the bait.

Make Life Difficult for Cybercriminals!

You don't need expensive tools or advanced technical knowledge to improve your cybersecurity. Start with four habits:

• Use long, unique passwords.
• Turn on MFA.
• Keep your software updated.
• Think before you click.     

Small actions can make a big difference.

Don't Make It Easy for Them!

Special Thanks

Lone Star College is proud to participate as a 2026 Cybersecurity Awareness Month Champion.

Special thanks to the National Cybersecurity Alliance and StaySafeOnline.org for providing the Cybersecurity Awareness Month resources, educational content, and creative materials featured throughout this campaign.

Together, we're helping everyone build safer online habits and Make Life Difficult for Cybercriminals. 

If you'd like it a little more concise for a webpage footer, I also like:

Special thanks to the National Cybersecurity Alliance and StaySafeOnline.org for providing the resources and creative materials used throughout our 2026 Cybersecurity Awareness Month campaign. Lone Star College is proud to participate as a Cybersecurity Awareness Month Champion.