The theme for the first week of  National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM), October 1-5, is Make Your Home a Haven for Online Safety.

Learn basic cybersecurity essentials to protect your home against cyber threats. Use the following resources to educate your family today:

• Basic Cybersecurity Safety Tips and Advice from STOP. THINK. CONNECT. - the cybersecurity awareness campaign from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
• Secure key accounts and devices – Use strong passwords, passcodes, or other features such as touch identification to lock your devices. Review these tips for passwords and securing your accounts .
• Lock Down Your Login – Protect accounts with strong authentication.
• When in doubt, throw it out – Links in email, tweets, posts, and online advertising are often how cybercriminals try to compromise your information. If it looks suspicious, delete it.
• Back It Up – Protect against data loss by making electronic copies of important files.
• Manage Your Privacy – Information about you, such as your purchase history and location, has value - just like money. Protect your data by being cautious about how your information is collected by apps and websites.
• Respond to identify theft, fraud, and crime – If you are the victim of cybercrime, you need to know what to do and respond quickly.

Learn how to keep your accounts and information safe during a Twitter chat on October 4 at 3 p.m. ET. Use #ChatSTC to join!

Earthquakes can happen where we work, live, or travel.  Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills  are an opportunity for everyone, everywhere, to practice earthquake safety and other aspects of emergency plans. Once again, FEMA is partnering with ShakeOut to encourage everyone to take action and register their participation.

The 2018 International ShakeOut day is October 18, when millions of people worldwide will hold earthquake drills in schools, organizations, communities, and households at 10:18 a.m. local time. 

Visit  ShakeOut.org  to register your participation, find resources, and learn more. 

To learn more about earthquake safety,  watch the When the Earth Shakes video and visit Ready.gov .

Many people and organizations come together to support the needs of those affected by a disaster. Unfortunately, some people prey on those disaster survivors by offering fraudulent services.

Learn how to protect yourself and your finances from additional loss. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers reminders to help you avoid disaster fraud, including:

• Do not pay a fee to apply for FEMA disaster assistance or to receive it. FEMA does not charge a fee for these services.
• Get three written estimates for repair work. Check the credentials of the repair company. Contact your local Better Business Bureau or Chamber of Commerce to learn about any complaints against the contractor or business.
• Make sure you obtain a written contract with all the services and costs before work begins. The contract should include a projected completion date. It should also outline ways to negotiate changes and settle disputes.
• Do not pay anything without a signed contract. Pay only by check or a credit card. A reasonable down payment may be required to buy materials for some projects.

Check out the full list of disaster fraud tips . Visit DisasterAssistance.gov to learn more.