Summary: Ohio University is padding October’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month with more touchpoints than a typical awareness campaign: weekly articles (kicking off with “MFA Under Fire”), a rotating slate of online mini-games, a five-week Coffee Chat series, a faculty/staff resource fair, a Bobcats-vs-Miami CyberMania rivalry, and a late-month screening of Zero Days. The programming leans on CISA’s evergreen “Secure Our World” guidance and the “Four Easy Ways to Stay Safe Online.
As the 22nd Cybersecurity Awareness Month begins, Ohio University’s Information Security Office is rolling out a campus-wide series that mixes quick learning with low-lift engagement. The university says it will publish short reads tied to CISA’s core habits, run weekly virtual games with prize drawings, and host Coffee Chats that let students, faculty, and staff quiz the ISO team directly.
What’s new (and how to join)
- Theme & weekly reading. The campus is adopting CISA’s “Secure Our World” framing and spotlighting the “Four Easy Ways to Stay Safe Online.” The first Article of the Week is “MFA Under Fire,” focused on how attackers bypass multifactor authentication and how to defend against it.
- Virtual game of the week. A rotating online challenge—starting with an Information Security Scavenger Hunt offers bite-size practice and entry into prize drawings.
- Coffee Chats (Wednesdays, 8:30–10 a.m.). Sessions run on Teams with in-person options and cover: Data Storage & Retention (Sept. 24), Securing University Work (Oct. 1), IT Vendor Review Process (Oct. 8), Security Scorecard Assessment (Oct. 22), and Dive into Phishing (Oct. 29). Registration is open to all campus members.
- Kickoff touchpoints on Oct. 1. Stop by the Faculty & Staff Resource Fair (11 a.m.–2 p.m.) for swag and a one-on-one with ISO staff; Coffee Chat that morning focuses on securing university work from device hygiene to safe collaboration in OneDrive.
- CyberMania rivalry returns. The third annual Ohio-vs-Miami confidence quiz runs Sept. 26–Oct. 31. New this year: “CyberManiacs” student ambassadors competing to drive participation. A live scoreboard tracks bragging rights; participants enter a prize drawing.
- Movie night, Oct. 28. The month closes with a campus screening of Zero Days at the Baker University Center Theater (5:30 p.m.) pizza included with registration.
Why the format matters
Ohio’s plan echoes best practice for higher ed: short, recurring nudges that fit busy schedules and build muscle memory. By pairing practical Coffee Chats (e.g., vendor reviews, phishing tells) with quick-hit games and a friendly rivalry, the program shifts from one-and-done training to habit-building the kind that lowers risky clicks and speeds up reporting. The university also situates its content in CISA’s “Secure Our World” framework to keep messages consistent across campus channels.
How to get the most out of October
- Pick two things each week. Skim the weekly article and play the game, it’s five minutes that pays off the next time a sketchy link lands in your inbox.
- Attend one Coffee Chat live. Bring a real question (traveling with a laptop? choosing storage for sensitive files?). The sessions are built for back-and-forth.
- Join the rivalry. Take the CyberMania quiz and recruit a friend; select where you heard about it to credit your “CyberManiac.”
- Mark Oct. 28. The Zero Days screening is a chance to connect the headlines to everyday campus decisions.
Bottom line: Ohio University has turned awareness month into a month-long rhythm—read, play, ask questions, and apply the “Secure Our World” basics. Show up a couple of times in October and you’ll leave with better instincts, stronger MFA habits, and a campus that’s a little harder to phish. ohio.edu
.png)
