Cyber Security Awareness Month
Cybersecurity Awareness Month · October 2026
Scammers count on shortcuts. Four habits shut them out, and each one takes a few minutes. Meet the scammers below, then go over the habits with your student.
Meet the scammers
These are real people and groups. Some have been arrested, but others copy what they do. Here is what each one counts on, and how to shut them out.
Habit 1 · Long passwords
He sold password-cracking software to other criminals for $250. It tests thousands of passwords every second. Short passwords, pet names, birthdays and reused passwords fall first.
Shut him out:
- Make every password 16 characters or more.
- Use a different password for every account.
- Let a password manager make and store them. Many are free, and you only remember one password.
An 8-character password can be cracked in seconds. A random 16-character one would take billions of years.
Habit 2 · Turn on MFA
Zestix broke into more than 50 big companies because a few people never turned on multi-factor authentication (MFA). Stolen passwords are easy to buy. MFA means a password alone is not enough.
Shut her out:
- Turn on MFA for every account that offers it. Start with email, banking and social media.
- Use an authenticator app or Face ID when you can.
- Don't reuse a password, even with a $ added to the end.
Look in each app's security settings. It may be called two-step verification.
Habit 3 · Pause first
A huge scam operation that targeted regular Americans. Almost 300 people were arrested. Scammers like them pretend to be your bank, your boss, a delivery company or even family, and they want you to act fast.
Shut them out:
- Be suspicious of any message you didn't expect, most of all if it's urgent.
- Take a few seconds before you click, reply or pay.
- Watch for fear (“you just got hacked!”) and pressure (“you won a grill!”).
You don't have to click, reply or answer the phone. That isn't rude. It's smart.
Habit 4 · Install updates
A hacking group that hunts for devices that skipped an update. When a company fixes a weak spot, they look for people who haven't installed the fix yet. Every “Remind me later” gives them another day.
Shut them out:
- Turn on automatic updates.
- Check phones, tablets, computers, browsers and apps now and then.
- Restart when an update asks you to.
Most updates take 5 minutes or less, restart included.
Stories and tips from the National Cybersecurity Alliance's 2026 Cybersecurity Awareness Month toolkit.
Fake emails, texts and DMs are called phishing. Look for these:
It rushes you
“Act now” or “your account will be closed.”
The sender looks odd
The name or address is a little off.
It wants a password or payment
Gift cards are a common ask.
The link doesn't match
On a computer, rest your mouse on it to see where it goes.
When in doubt, don't use the link. Open the website or app yourself.
A few minutes at dinner or in the car is enough. Try these:
- Gaming accounts need long passwords and MFA too. Let's check yours together.
- If a message on a social app rushes you or asks for something, stop and show me first.
- Never share a password with anyone except a parent or guardian. Not even a best friend.
Scammers sometimes pretend to be a school. If a message claims to be from Lake Shore and rushes you or asks for something, pause first. Don't click the link or reply.
More on how to check a Lake Shore message, and how to report a fake one, is coming soon.
New York State law (Education Law 2-d) requires every school district to post a Parents' Bill of Rights for Data Privacy and Security. It explains how student information is kept safe and what rights families have.
A link to Lake Shore's Parents' Bill of Rights is coming soon.
Lake Shore is a 2026 Cybersecurity Awareness Month Champion. The month is led by the National Cybersecurity Alliance and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
Oct 19
Turn on MFA
Oct 24 and 25
Long passwords
Oct 28 and 29
Spotting scams
Oct 30
All four habits
Remember
Their biggest enemy isn't technology. It's you taking a few seconds before you click.
Contact details for Lake Shore's Data Protection Officer are coming soon.