Closing Out Cybersecurity Awareness Month: 5 Key Takeaways in the Fight for User Resilience

As Cybersecurity Awareness Month comes to a close, Dune Security is proud partner with National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) as an official sponsor this year, working together to advance a shared mission of stopping cybercrime at home and at work. This year’s theme, Stay Safe Online, could not have been more timely, as protecting people and organizations against today’s growing cyber threats matters every day of the year.

Cybersecurity begins with people. Most breaches still start with human error and when employees are equipped to recognize and resist manipulation, they become an organization’s strongest defense. Together with NCA, we helped individuals and enterprises strengthen awareness, build confidence, and make secure decisions that protect their workplaces, families, and communities.

Throughout October, Dune Security focused on turning awareness into action. We launched new initiatives, partnered with industry leaders, and created resources to help organizations strengthen the user layer of security. From practical toolkits to thought-provoking discussions, each effort was designed to help enterprises and employees build lasting resilience. Here are five key takeaways from this year’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month.  

Kicking Off Cybersecurity Awareness Month Nationwide

To kick off the month, Dune Security proudly sponsored the NCA’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month Virtual Kick-Off, the official launch event of the month. Leaders from CISA, the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, state governments, and top technology companies reinforced how evolving threats demand earlier action and stronger resilience.

A key theme from the discussion was clear: awareness alone isn’t enough: action is what drives resilience. Speakers emphasized that while cyber threats are becoming more automated and financially motivated, most incidents still trace back to human behavior. The FBI and Secret Service urged organizations to strengthen “deterrence through defense” by focusing on basic hygiene – strong passwords, MFA, and timely patching – while also investing in ongoing employee readiness and secure-by-default technologies.  

Data from the NCA’s new Oh, Behave! report further reinforced the challenge. 43% of employees admitted to sharing sensitive work information with AI tools without employer oversight, and over half said they’ve never received training on the security risks of AI use. Combined with rising global scam activity, these insights are a reminder that while cybercriminals are training every day, organizations can stay ahead by empowering employees, strengthening culture, and defending against attacks before they spread.

Turning Awareness into Everyday Action

To help security leaders make the most of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we released our 2025 Resource Calendar – a collection of ready-to-use content that teams could deploy to engage employees all month long. The calendar included cinematic training videos, bite-sized explainers, templates, and interactive activities focused on strengthening secure habits both at work and at home.

More than a toolkit, the Resource Calendar encouraged organizations to transform awareness into daily practice. By making cybersecurity engaging and accessible, it helped teams build culture, reinforce key behaviors, and create opportunities for resilience that extend far beyond October.

Defending Authenticity in the Age of Deepfakes

As part of our October initiatives, Dune Security teamed up with Reality Defender and Cooley LLP to host Deepfake & Synthetic Media: Cyber Happy Hour & Panel at Cooley’s Hudson Yards office in New York City. The event brought together security leaders to examine one of the fastest-growing enterprise risks: synthetic media.

The panel, featuring Dune CEO David DellaPelle and CTO Michael Waite alongside Reality Defender’s Ben Colman and Alex Lisle, explored how attackers are using generative AI to erode trust across every medium and communication channel employees rely on. The conversation emphasized that defending authenticity now requires both machine intelligence to detect manipulation and human readiness to recognize and resist it.

Advancing the Conversation at the National Cybersecurity Alliance Cybersecurity Summit

On Tuesday, October 21, Dune Security sponsored the National Cybersecurity Alliance Cybersecurity Summit at the New York Stock Exchange, the official flagship event of Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The summit brought together senior executives and experts from across industries to discuss the evolving threat landscape – from AI-driven scams to resilience and national security.  

A central theme echoed throughout the event: “It’s on us.” Cybersecurity must be top of mind for all enterprise leaders. The responsibility to confront emerging threats from nation-state actors and APT groups lies with the organizations and vendors capable of driving real change. Speakers highlighted how hackers are becoming more creative, using encrypted channels and multimedia content to deceive users, while emphasizing that security and privacy must advance together to protect individuals and enterprises alike.

The message aligns deeply with the work we do at Dune Security. As high-risk sectors like healthcare and finance continue facing relentless attacks, the people most affected are often the patients and customers they serve. Defending against modern threats means defending trust itself – and that begins with empowering people.  

How to Drive Cyber Resilience Beyond October

As Cybersecurity Awareness Month ends, one message stands out: awareness alone is not enough. Real security depends on resilience – the ability of people to recognize, resist, and respond to threats in real time.  

From empowering employees with actionable resources to leading discussions on AI-driven deception and digital trust, every initiative this month centered on one goal: helping organizations strengthen the user layer of defense and translate awareness into measurable behavior change.

At Dune Security, that work continues every day. We help enterprises identify, measure, and reduce user-driven risk year-round through behavioral intelligence, user risk scoring, attack simulations, and adaptive remediations. Attackers don’t wait for October – and protecting people and organizations against today’s increasing threats matters 365 days a year.

If your organization is ready to take the next step beyond awareness and actively reduce user risk, connect with our team to learn how Dune can help strengthen your people, and your security posture, year-round.