We’ve had so much on our plates these past 34 months or so that it can be easy to focus on the most apparent workplace issues and challenges. 

While it’s understandable if  cybersecurity and your personal cyber awareness weren’t necessarily  top of mind in 2022,  we need to be more cyber aware than ever. I began paying serious attention to cybersecurity, and learning about it, when supporting a board and its committees. One of those committees focused on technology, and I soon began reading and learning more on my own time about how to spot and reduce or mitigate risks.

Not all of us have the benefit of such exposure to this key business issue, which continues to become increasingly personal – whether your career is currently hybrid, remote or entirely onsite. However, if you’ve attended any of my cybersecurity training presentations, or read my articles on apps and the need for all of us to become increasingly aware of both business and personal cyber risks, you’ll know there are steps each of us can take to mitigate those risks.

This begins with awareness, which I seek to elevate through these surveys and LinkedIn posts as well as articles and presentations.

My sixth annual survey focusing on cyber awareness

When I published my first Weekend Poll focused on cybersecurity, in October 2017,  almost 20% of those who responded said they had limited (or no) awareness of the topic. Less than half (48%) said they’d received cybersecurity training through their employers. The good news: this percentage increased to 56.5% in 2018 and, by 2021, rose to 84%.

The bad news: Cyber criminals, also known as hackers and threat actors, continue to evolve some pretty sophisticated practices. That, and the extent to which we blur our personal and business lives and hardware, means we shouldn’t let up in terms of routinely building awareness. With this in mind, let’s see how we’re doing with cyber awareness,  and how to spot and mitigate risks in the year ahead. This leads me to ask:

How’s your cybersecurity awareness in 2022?

Please take a couple of minutes to complete the poll below.

As always, I look forward to hearing what you have to say and will publish the results here.

1. Are you confident you know enough about cybersecurity?

Yes	No
YesPurchase Yes	NoPurchase No

2. On a scale of 1 (limited or no knowledge) to 3 (highly aware), how well informed are you about cybersecurity?

1 - limited or no knowledge	2	3 - high knowledge level
1 - limited or no knowledgeBuy from us again 1 - limited or no knowledge	2Buy from us again 2	3 - high knowledge levelBuy from us again 3 - high knowledge level

3. Have you received cybersecurity education/training at your workplace?

Yes	No
YesPurchase Yes	NoPurchase No

4. If you have received cybersecurity education/training at your workplace, when did you last receive cyber awareness training or updates?

Modules or resources are online, and it's up to us to access them	Within the last month	Within the last quarter	Within the last half year	Within the last year	More than a year ago
Modules or resources are online, and it's up to us to access themBuy from us again Modules or resources are online, and it's up to us to access them	Within the last monthBuy from us again Within the last month	Within the last quarterBuy from us again Within the last quarter	Within the last half yearBuy from us again Within the last half year	Within the last yearBuy from us again Within the last year	More than a year agoBuy from us again More than a year ago

5. Have you attended any external cyber awareness presentations/training sessions?

Yes	No
YesPurchase Yes	NoPurchase No

6. Have you undertaken any independent reading/professional development related to cybersecurity?

Yes	My cybersecurity PD is limited to what Shelagh’s presented or written on the topic	No
YesPurchase Yes	My cybersecurity PD is limited to what Shelagh’s presented or written on the topicPurchase My cybersecurity PD is limited to what Shelagh’s presented or written on the topic	NoPurchase No

7. On a scale of 1 (not concerned) to 3 (very concerned), how much of an issue do consider cybersecurity to be in the workplace?

1 (not concerned)	2	3 ( very concerned)
1 (not concerned)Purchase 1 (not concerned)	2Purchase 2	3 ( very concerned)Purchase 3 ( very concerned)

8. On a scale of 1 (not concerned) to 3 (very concerned), how much of an issue do consider cybersecurity to be in your personal life?

1 (not concerned)	2	3 (very concerned)
1 (not concerned)Purchase 1 (not concerned)	2Purchase 2	3 (very concerned)Purchase 3 (very concerned)

9. Do you generally use passwords or passphrases?

passwords	passphrases	I use both passwords and passphrases
passwordsPurchase passwords	passphrasesPurchase passphrases	I use both passwords and passphrasesPurchase I use both passwords and passphrases

10. Do you use the same password or passphrase for more than one work login or account?

Yes	No
YesPurchase Yes	NoPurchase No

11. How many different passwords or passphrases do you use for your career/work?

1	2	3	4	5 or more	I use distinct passwords or passphrases for every account or log-in
1Purchase 1	2Purchase 2	3Purchase 3	4Purchase 4	5 or morePurchase 5 or more	I use distinct passwords or passphrases for every account or log-inPurchase I use distinct passwords or passphrases for every account or log-in

12. Do you typically change/update your passwords or passphrases without prompting?

Yes	No	Only occasionally
YesPurchase Yes	NoPurchase No	Only occasionallyPurchase Only occasionally

13. On a scale of 1 (embarrassingly obvious) to 3 (challenging), how difficult would it be to crack your passwords or passphrases?

1 - embarrassingly obvious	2	3 - challenging
1 - embarrassingly obviousPurchase 1 - embarrassingly obvious	2Purchase 2	3 - challengingPurchase 3 - challenging

14. Between career and personal use, how many different passwords or passphrases do you estimate you use in total?

1	2	3-5	6-10	11-15	16-24	> two dozen	> three dozen
1Purchase 1	2Purchase 2	3-5Purchase 3-5	6-10Purchase 6-10	11-15Purchase 11-15	16-24Purchase 16-24	> two dozenPurchase > two dozen	> three dozenPurchase > three dozen

15. Do you keep a HARD COPY list of passwords or passphrases you use in your career?

Yes, I have a copy list and keep it secured	Yes, I have a hard copy list but it's not under lock and key	No
Yes, I have a copy list and keep it securedPurchase Yes, I have a copy list and keep it secured	Yes, I have a hard copy list but it's not under lock and keyPurchase Yes, I have a hard copy list but it's not under lock and key	NoPurchase No

16. Do you keep a DIGITAL/ELECTRONIC list of passwords or passphrases you use in your career?

Yes; I store it on my business hardware and it's password protected	Yes; I store it on my business hardware but it's NOT password protected	Yes; I store it on my personal hardware and it's password protected	Yes; I store it on my personal hardware but it's NOT password protected	No
Yes; I store it on my business hardware and it's password protectedPurchase Yes; I store it on my business hardware and it's password protected	Yes; I store it on my business hardware but it's NOT password protectedPurchase Yes; I store it on my business hardware but it's NOT password protected	Yes; I store it on my personal hardware and it's password protectedPurchase Yes; I store it on my personal hardware and it's password protected	Yes; I store it on my personal hardware but it's NOT password protectedPurchase Yes; I store it on my personal hardware but it's NOT password protected	NoPurchase No

17. Do you use a password or passphrase management app?

Yes - in my career	Yes - for personal use	Yes - for both career and personal use	No
Yes - in my careerPurchase Yes - in my career	Yes - for personal usePurchase Yes - for personal use	Yes - for both career and personal usePurchase Yes - for both career and personal use	NoPurchase No

18. If you use a password or passphrase management app, please ID your preferred app.

19. Do you make use of a virtual private network (VPN)?

Yes - in my career	Yes - for personal use	Yes - for both career and personal use	No
Yes - in my careerPurchase Yes - in my career	Yes - for personal usePurchase Yes - for personal use	Yes - for both career and personal usePurchase Yes - for both career and personal use	NoPurchase No

20. If you make use of a VPN, please ID the virtual private network you use.

21. When downloading apps or software, do you typically read the privacy policies and the terms and conditions?

Yes	No	I do so with apps, but not for other software installations	I do so for most software installations, but not for apps	I haven't done so, yet perhaps it's time to start doing so
YesPurchase Yes	NoPurchase No	I do so with apps, but not for other software installationsPurchase I do so with apps, but not for other software installations	I do so for most software installations, but not for appsPurchase I do so for most software installations, but not for apps	I haven't done so, yet perhaps it's time to start doing soPurchase I haven't done so, yet perhaps it's time to start doing so

22. Do you use two-factor authentication (2FA) where available?

Yes	No	I'm not familiar with this
YesPurchase Yes	NoPurchase No	I'm not familiar with thisPurchase I'm not familiar with this

23. Are you aware of any cybersecurity breaches having occurred at your current or prior place of employment?

Yes	No
YesPurchase Yes	NoPurchase No

24. Are you aware of any cybersecurity breaches having occurred with your personal hardware?

Yes	No
YesPurchase Yes	NoPurchase No

25. Are you aware of any of your social media accounts ever being hacked/breached?

Yes	No
YesPurchase Yes	NoPurchase No

26. Are you aware of any of your email accounts being hacked/breached?

Yes	No
YesPurchase Yes	NoPurchase No

27. Do you know anyone whose social media or email accounts have been hacked/breached?

Yes	No
YesPurchase Yes	NoPurchase No

28. Have you increased your attention and care to cybersecurity given the increase in remote work environments as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Yes	No	I hadn't thought about this, but I will now
YesPurchase Yes	NoPurchase No	I hadn't thought about this, but I will nowPurchase I hadn't thought about this, but I will now

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