Every October, people around the world- from students and parents to large organizations and governments- take time to strengthen their online safety habits and learn how to protect their digital lives.
Microsoft’s pledge to our customers and our community is to prioritize your cybersafety above all else. Whether you're running a Fortune 100 company, shopping online, or helping your kids with homework, we’re here to help you stay one step ahead of cyber threats. Our goal is simple: to give you the tools, tips, and confidence to be cybersmart every day.
The Evolving Threat Landscape
In the past year, online threats have become more aggressive and harder to spot:
- Phishing scams are everywhere—fraudsters now mimic trusted brands to trick you into giving up passwords or personal info.
- Fraudulent websites are deceptive and often mimic legitimate businesses or government agencies, luring users into sharing sensitive information like passwords or credit card numbers.
- Identity theft is on the rise, with criminals using leaked personal data to open fake accounts or impersonate you online.
These attacks are fast, sneaky, and can be powered by artificial intelligence. That’s why you need to have a security-first mindset. Today, you need always-on protection that can spot suspicious behavior, predict hacker tactics, and respond quickly—before damage is done.
Microsoft’s Commitment to Security
Every time you check your email, save a photo, or browse the web, Microsoft’s security ecosystem is working behind the scenes to keep you safe.
- Microsoft analyzes over 84 trillion signals daily—from devices, emails, and cloud activity—to detect threats and protect your personal data.
- Millions of people trust Microsoft to help secure their digital lives, whether they’re managing finances, helping kids with homework, or staying connected with loved ones.
- Through our Secure Future Initiative, we’re investing in smarter, faster protection—powered by over 30,000 engineers focused on identity safety, threat detection, and cloud security.
This means that whether you're using Outlook to email a friend, OneDrive to store family memories, or your phone to shop online, you're backed by the same advanced security that protects global organizations—tailored for your everyday life.
Microsoft 365: Everyday Online Protection in Action
Microsoft 365 and its suite of apps are here to keep you safer online:
- Microsoft Defender for Individuals¹ ²: Get peace of mind with a proactive online security solution to protect your family’s identities³, data, and devices from hackers and scammers.
- Outlook: Keep your emails safer – automatically scan⁴ emails for viruses and malware from unsafe links and attachments or encrypt⁴ your sensitive emails.
- OneDrive: Save your photos, videos, and files securely to OneDrive and keep them protected with ransomware detection and file recovery⁴. Personal Vault provides another layer of protection for your most sensitive files.
Security Is a Shared Responsibility
Technology plays a big role in keeping you safe online—but it’s not the whole story. You are the first and last line of defense.
This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, take simple steps to protect yourself and your family:
- Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all your accounts to add an extra layer of security.
- Keep your devices and apps updated so you’re protected against the latest threats.
- Use strong, unique passwords—and consider a password manager to help keep track.
- Take advantage of built-in security tools like Defender, Outlook, and OneDrive to help safeguard your personal phones and computers, data, emails, and files.
Together, we can build a safer digital world. When each of us takes action, we raise the bar against cyber threats. Let’s make online safety a daily habit—for ourselves and those we care about.
Explore our Cybersecurity Awareness Month resources for best practices on how to be cybersmart, which includes articles on AI safety, phishing, fraud, cybersecurity 101, and more. We also include cybersecurity learning paths, certification opportunities, and the latest insights about threat intelligence and cybersecurity developments, including tools like the Be Cybersmart Kit.
Cybersecurity first, stay safe always. Happy Cybersecurity Awareness Month!
References
1 – Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, or Premium subscription is required.
2 – Microsoft Defender is currently not available in certain regions.
3 – Available in the US and US territories only. Your device's primary display language must be set to English.
4 – Microsoft 365 Basic, Personal, Family, or Premium subscription is required.
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