New National Cybersecurity Campaign Promotes the Power of a 9-Second Pause
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Craig Newmark Philanthropies, in partnership with Wondros, has launched a national cybersecurity public service campaign to help Americans become more resilient against increasingly pervasive and sophisticated cyber threats. The campaign introduces a simple approach to protecting against a complex array of malicious cyber activity: the 9-second pause. The campaign will launch with mobile video content, a website offering information and education resources, social media content, display ads, and outdoor placements including airport ads and billboards. The effort will contribute to community and national resilience against cyber threats and ultimately, help protect our critical infrastructure.
“The dangers of clicking without thinking are very real,” said Craig Newmark. “A careless online action can have consequences for ourselves and our communities. By taking a pause, taking 9 seconds, we can better protect ourselves, our workplaces and our communities from bad actors and scammers. This campaign will be loud about the need to harden our nation’s water systems and power grids. We all have a role to play. Mine is putting my money where my mouth is. A nerd’s gotta do what a nerd’s gotta do.”
The simple yet powerful strategy of the 9-second pause encourages individuals to take a moment before responding to potentially harmful digital interactions. The campaign will provide tools and resources on PauseTake9.org, a newly created site developed to provide trusted information on how to enhance personal protections. This hub will also invite the public to join a community of individuals, organizations, and institutions committed to creating a safer digital world.
“As the threats grow, the need for individuals to take action has never been more urgent,” said Kiersten Todt, President of Wondros. “The campaign seeks to help individuals strengthen their resilience and defenses against cyber threats and play a role in the broader security of our nation.”
Cyber threats frequently exploit urgency and emotional triggers to manipulate individuals into making hasty decisions. Phishing attacks, for example, often create a false sense of urgency, tricking users to click on malicious links. The 9-second pause aims to counteract these manipulative tactics, enabling individuals to set aside the urgency and emotional reactions that bad actors exploit, and apply a critical mindset that can protect personal, community, and national security. The campaign helps support the ability of people to respond, not react.
CNP engaged Wondros to develop and launch the campaign, which is informed by research to better understand how people perceive cyber threats, what motivates them to take action, and how different messaging can shape attitudes and behaviors. The campaign is funded as a part of Newmark’s 2023 pledge to finance $100 million in cybersecurity education programming and builds on CNP’s global network of organizations focused on cyber civil defense to increase personal resilience. Aspen Digital is partnering in the effort to facilitate engagement from a diverse set of industry stakeholders to support research and outreach.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's 2023 Internet Crime Report reveals the growing cyber threat to individuals. In 2023, the report showed 880,418 cybersecurity complaints with financial losses exceeding $12.5 billion. The report also revealed increases in the last five years in phishing attacks, ransomware, and data breaches, among others, that have affected individuals. We know that these successful attacks also challenge the reliability of our critical infrastructure, such as internet service and utilities that we depend on every day. As individuals, we are often on the front line in preventing a cyber attack from cascading into something much more severe.
“We all feel the impact of cyber threats. Just as we pause to look both ways before crossing the street, a pause before we dive into our email, texts, or conversations where we may be sharing sensitive information, can make all the difference in securing ourselves against the threats,” said Newmark.
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About Wondros
Wondros is a service-driven creative company dedicated to driving measurable social impact and change on diverse issues, including cybersecurity, emerging technologies, and health. Wondros translates complex problems into ideas and powerful narratives that inspire action. Wondros’s breadth of creative and strategic talent has built partnerships with a range of clients, including Bank of America, the United Nations, MD Anderson Cancer Center, National Institutes of Health, Stand Up To Cancer, California Mental Health Services Agency, Song for Charlie, and the University of Pittsburgh. Wondros is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh. We are united by our mission to be of service to others. To learn more, visit wondros.com.
About Craig Newmark Philanthropies
Craig Newmark created the online classified ads service craigslist. Craig’s full-time philanthropic work focuses on organizations on the frontlines of protecting America’s security and democracy. He has given more than $300 million in support of veterans and military families, trustworthy journalism and civic engagement campaigns, cybersecurity education programs, hunger relief, and pigeon rescue. Craig was influenced by his Sunday School teachers who escaped the Holocaust, set his moral compass, and taught him to treat people like you want to be treated — and how to know when enough is enough. He stepped away from the day-to-day running of craigslist over two decades ago.
About Aspen Digital
Aspen Digital, a program of the Aspen Institute, is a nonpartisan technology and information-focused organization that brings together thinkers and doers to uncover new ideas and spark policies, processes, and procedures that empower communities and strengthen democracy. This future-focused Aspen Institute program inspires collaboration among diverse voices from industry, government, and civil society to ensure our interconnected world is accessible, safe, and inclusive — both online and off. Across its initiatives, Aspen Digital develops methods for elevating promising solutions and turning thought into networked impact. To learn more, visit aspendigital.org or email aspendigital@aspeninstitute.org.
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Riyhana Bey Wondros 804-301-3541 riyhana@wondros.com
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