October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM). This year, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) theme is “Cybersecurity is our shared responsibility and we all must work together to improve our Nation’s cybersecurity.”

Follow these tips from the NCSAM toolkit to be safe online:

• Keep a clean machine. Keeping your internet-connected devices free from malware and infections makes the internet safer for you and more secure for everyone.
• Protect your password. Create a password with eight characters or more and a combination of letters, numbers and symbols, and don’t make it easy to guess.
• Stay protected while connected. Before you connect to any public wireless hotspot – like on an airplane or in a hotel – be sure to confirm the name of the network and login information with staff to ensure that the network is legitimate.
• Be alert in online interactions with strangers. Cyber criminals will often offer a financial reward, threaten you if you don’t engage or claim that someone needs help. Don’t fall for it! Keep your personal information as private as possible.

While studying in the United States, international students in particular should take steps to protect their personal information and avoid scams. Visit U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Common Scams page for additional tips.

Find more information on NCSAM 2018 and DHS’s efforts to promote Cybersecurity on the National Cybersecurity Awareness Month page on DHS.gov.