2024 Cybersecurity
Awareness Month Kit


Extra! Extra! Be a Cybersecurity Reporter.


The 2024 Proofpoint Cybersecurity Awareness Kit is a four-week program that teaches the importance of reporting suspicious emails in the age of AI.

About this kit.

Every October, Cybersecurity Awareness Month is dedicated to talking with your employees and customers about staying safe, both for themselves and your organization. At Proofpoint, we know your planning must happen early. We created the “The Cybersecurity Reporter” theme specifically for this campaign. This material will help you raise awareness of how to handle phishing attacks, especially AI-generated phishing.

How to use it.

Proofpoint has curated a selection of free learning resources from our Proofpoint Security Awareness content library. This includes training videos, email templates, sharable images and virtual backgrounds. Get started quickly with messaging for easy communication, and a cadence for launching the campaign.

You’ll find descriptions and instructions about how to use the resources in the other tabs on this page.

CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS PROGRAM PLAN


We created the “The Cybersecurity Reporter” theme specifically for this campaign. Cyber criminals continually develop new attack methods. One tactic remains consistent: phishing emails. Especially now, with the use of generative AI, phishing can be even more difficult to identify.

Together, we will explain best practices for identifying suspicious messages and reporting them to your organization. It’s an ideal choice for Cybersecurity Awareness Month, but you can use it any time of year.


Guest 1a Name

1 Month and 1 Week Before Launch

Make sure your awareness program is ready to spread the news.

Guest 1a Name

Hot off the Press! Report Suspicious Emails

Cover the basics of spotting and reporting suspicious emails.

Guest 2a Name

Stop the Presses! Look Out for AI (Part 1)

Teach how generative AI such as deepfakes makes phishing more difficult to detect.

Guest3a Name

Extra! Extra! Read All About It 

Reinforce how to report emails, with a spotlight on QR code phishing.

Guest 4a Name

See, Then Say! Look Out for AI (Part 2) 

Discuss conversational scams, another AI-generated phishing attack





PRE-PLAN

One Month Before Launch 

In the month leading up to Cybersecurity Awareness Month, make sure you’re ready to spread the news.

  • Review our suggested resources and communications to determine what you will and will not use.
  • Make adjustments to art files as desired.
  • Identify your delivery methods for content and communications (see below).
  • Share your plan with key stakeholders and decision makers—and course-correct, as needed.
  • Work to get buy-in that’s top-down and cross-functional to amplify the voice of your campaign.
  • Identify your launch date, end date, and key milestone dates in between.
SUGGESTED PLAN


Host 1 Name
Create a central content repository
We suggest using a central repository—like an internal wiki—for all the user-facing learning resources in the campaign. This will eliminate the need to send all your content via email or chat channels, and will give employees a single place to go to manage most of their assigned activities.


Host 1 Name
Create an internal chat channel
If you haven’t already done so, create an internal chat channel specifically for cybersecurity awareness and training. It will provide a quick, easy way to send reminders about program activities and milestone dates.

Host 1 Name
Get this awareness content
  • Animated video “Cybersecurity Reporter: Reporting Suspicious Emails”—2-minute reporter-themed overview
  • Animated video module “Understanding Deepfakes”—3-minute overview of AI-generated deepfakes
  • Video module “Attack Spotlight: Conversational Scams”—3-minute overview of AI-generated conversation scams
  • One infographic “Reporting Suspicious Emails”—Reporter themed for a deeper dive
  • One animated GIF “Cybersecurity Reporter”—Reporter themed for visual interest
  • Four images “Cybersecurity Reporter Awareness”—Reporter themed for reinforcement
  • Five virtual backgrounds “Cybersecurity Reporter”—Reporter themed for added flair


Host 2 Name
The week before launch
The week before your official launch, we suggest sending an organization-wide email that previews the upcoming program. If possible, the email should come from your organization’s CISO or CEO. This will lend weight and credibility to the campaign, which is helpful in setting a positive tone for your efforts.

Use this awareness content
  • Reporter-themed animated GIF “Cybersecurity Reporter”

Send Email
Send a communication via email or internal chat channel using the following text (modify as needed).

SUBJECT LINE: Coming Soon: The Cybersecurity Reporter

On <date>, we will kick off a new security awareness campaign called “The Cybersecurity Reporter.” During this month-long initiative, you will have access to information and educational resources that will explain the importance of reporting suspicious messages, which are a significant risk for organizations and people worldwide.
Each of us has a role to play in defending against phishing emails and other cyberattacks. This upcoming program will provide valuable resources and tips you can use to better protect yourself at work and at home.

Stay tuned! <insert virtual meeting details>

Extra! Extra! Be a Cybersecurity Reporter.

The 2024 Proofpoint Cybersecurity Awareness Kit is a four-week program that teaches the importance of reporting suspicious emails in the age of AI.


WEEK 1

Hot off the press! Report suspicious emails. 

In Week 1, launch your program. Kick off Cybersecurity Awareness Month with a training video and image that explain the basics of browsing safely. In your kickoff meeting, add flair by using one of our virtual backgrounds to set the theme. Tell attendees to expect weekly emails with links to the Cybersecurity Reporter material.

Use this awareness content

  • 2-minute video module “Cybersecurity Reporter: Reporting Suspicious Emails”
  • Reporter-themed image “Don’t Take the Bait”
SUGGESTED PLAN


Host 1 Name
Send Email

Send a communication via email or internal chat channel using the following text (modify as needed).

Subject line: Hot off the Press! Report Suspicious Emails
Technical safeguards can’t always protect us, so it’s important to know our role in keeping safe. This two-minute video about reporting suspicious emails covers the basics of phishing emails, how to spot them, and how protect against them. Remember, don’t take the bait.

Access the video through the following link at your earliest convenience. You’ll need to watch it to get the most out of the rest of the material we’ll share this week. <[insert link]>.

Host 2 Name
Reinforce message
Later in the week, share the image as a reminder. Here is suggested messaging:

Don’t Take the Bait. You are the last line of defense to protect yourself and our organization from phishing emails. Remember to always report suspicious emails.


Extra! Extra! Be a cybersecurity reporter.

The 2024 Proofpoint Cybersecurity Awareness Kit is a four-week program that teaches the importance of reporting suspicious emails in the age of AI. 


WEEK 2

Stop the presses! Look out for AI (Part 1). 

In Week 2, encourage participation. Continue Cybersecurity Awareness Month with two content pieces that explain how to detect suspicious emails that phish with AI-generated deepfakes, such as videos, images, or voice clips.

Use this awareness content

  • 3-minute video module “Understanding Deepfakes”
  • Reporter- themed image “Stop the Presses!”
SUGGESTED PLAN


Host 1 Name
Send Email

Send a communication via email or internal chat channel using the following text (modify as needed).

Subject line: Stop the Presses! Look Out for AI (Part 1).
By now, you should have watched the awareness video we shared last week. (If you haven’t, please do that today.)

Today we will watch another video, this time about how generative AI makes phishing more difficult to detect. The topic is understanding deepfakes and in three minutes, it will reveal a new way attackers are trying to trick you. <[insert link]>.

Host 2 Name
Reinforce message
Later in the week, share the image as a reminder. Here is suggested messaging:

Stop the Presses! Protect yourself from deepfakes. This AI-generated phishing can mimic authority figures in videos, images or voice clips to spread intentionally misstated information.


Extra! Extra! Be a cybersecurity reporter

The 2024 Proofpoint Cybersecurity Awareness Kit is a four-week program that teaches the importance of reporting suspicious emails in the age of AI.


WEEK 3

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! 

In Week 3, applaud participation. This week you can offer a training video and image that explain how to spot new attack methods such as phishing emails with fake QR codes.

Use this awareness content

  • Reporter-themed infographic “Reporting Suspicious Emails”
  • Reporter-themed image “Extra! Extra! Quishing Alert”
SUGGESTED PLAN


Host 1 Name
Send Email

Send a communication via email or internal chat channel using the following text (modify as needed).

Subject line: Extra, Extra! Read All About It!
Congratulations to everyone who has their reporter hat on, and is taking advantage of our Cybersecurity Reporter materials.

We’ve added a new resource to <[insert link]>: the infographic Reporting Suspicious Emails. This will help reinforce how to spot suspicious emails and report them safely. Attackers are always thinking about new ways to trick us, such as phishing with QR codes or “quishing.”

Host 2 Name
Reinforce message
Later in the week, share the image as a reminder. Here is suggested messaging:

Extra! Extra! Quishing Alert. Avoid scanning unsolicited QR codes from unfamiliar or out-of-context sources, whether physical or electronic.

Extra, extra! Be a cybersecurity reporter.

The 2024 Proofpoint Cybersecurity Awareness Kit is a four-week program that teaches the importance of reporting suspicious emails in the age of AI. 


WEEK 4

See, then say! Look out for AI (Part 2) 

It’s Week 4—time to wrap up the program. End Cybersecurity Awareness Month with a video and image that talk about another AI-generated attack: conversational scams. Early in this final week, send a communication to remind employees to complete all activities, along with an invitation to participate in a virtual wrap-up meeting.

During the wrap-up meeting, use one of the themed virtual backgrounds. And if possible, open the discussion with important points, such as the following:

  • What participants liked—and didn’t like—about the campaign
  • Things learned that weren’t known before
  • Topics that people would like to learn more about

Use this awareness content

  • 3-minute video module “Attack Spotlight: Conversational Scams”
  • Reporter-themed image “See Something, Say Something”
SUGGESTED PLAN


Host 1 Name
Send Email

Send a communication via email or internal chat channel using the following text (modify as needed).

Subject line: See, Then Say! Look Out for AI (Part 2)
We hope you’ve been taking advantage of the Cybersecurity Reporter resources we’ve been sharing with you over the past few weeks. To conclude, we’ve added a final video “Attack Spotlight: Conversational Scams” video here <[insert link]>. It’s an interesting three minutes about another AI-generated kind of phishing attack.

And always remember what this image says <[insert link]>: “If you see something, say something.” Please report security incidents promptly.! Taking action can prevent further compromise.

I’d also like to invite you to a virtual wrap-up meeting, where we’ll discuss success stories related to this campaign, honor our participants , and ask for your feedback. <insert meeting details>

If you have any questions or feedback, please reach out to me at <[email]>.


Want even more impact

This Cybersecurity Awareness Month Kit is part of a larger Cybersecurity Reporter campaign that is exclusively available to Proofpoint customers.

The full campaign builds on the content in this kit, giving you a packed month of communication tools and awareness content that encourage active participation.

Proofpoint customers have access to extensive essential resources such as:

  • Campaign guide that expands this document plan
  • Additional modules that dive deeper
  • Postcard to encourage participation
  • Activity tracker to help users record activities
  • Badges that can be sent to users
  • Incentive items that reward participation
  • Shareable content as reminders throughout the campaign