October is here. Across Uganda, thousands of employees will walk into offices, open emails, and click without thinking. One careless click is all it takes. That is why Cybersecurity Awareness Month is not just another “theme month.” It is a survival drill.
Cybercrime is no longer a distant story from America or Europe. It is a Ugandan reality. From SACCOs in Masaka losing millions via mobile money SIM swaps, to hospitals in Kampala locked out of patient records by ransomware, to government agencies paying ransom quietly, cyber risk is here. It is local. It is expensive. And it is growing.
Why awareness matters
The biggest myth in cybersecurity is that technology alone will protect you. Firewalls, antiviruses, and fancy dashboards mean nothing if your people are blind to threats. Eight out of ten breaches in Uganda begin with human error: a staff member reusing passwords, downloading fake invoices, or sharing sensitive data on WhatsApp.
Cybersecurity Awareness Month exists to break that ignorance. To remind every staff member that they are the first firewall.
The cost of ignorance
- A Tier 2 bank lost UGX 1.4 billion in a single phishing campaign.
- A private school had its entire website defaced, leaving parents questioning its credibility.
- An NGO donor froze funding after hackers exposed project data.
None of these began with a “major hack.” They began with an ignored awareness.
What must leaders do this October?
- Make cybersecurity cultural, not seasonal – One month of slogans is not enough. Embed cyber habits into daily work.
- Invest in drills, not posters – Staff remember simulated phishing tests, not motivational banners.
- Hold EXCO accountable – Cyber risk is a governance issue. Boards must demand evidence of preparedness, not promises.
At Summit Consulting Ltd, we say: “Cybersecurity is not IT. It is a survival strategy.” This month, we are running free awareness trainings for organizations that dare to take risk seriously. One hour with us could save your organization billions.
The question is not whether hackers will strike. It is whether your team will recognize the attack when it happens.
Stay aware. Stay protected.
Visit https://event.forensicsinstitute.org/ to access free resources. Be safe online.
Cybersecurity Month 2025 is here: Stay aware. Stay protected.
One careless click. That’s all it takes to lose millions.
Cybercrime is no longer a foreign headline; it is Ugandan. A SACCO in Masaka was wiped out via SIM swaps. A Kampala hospital was locked out of patient records by ransomware. A Tier 2 bank is losing UGX 1.4 billion to phishing. None of these started with “big hacks.” They started with ignorance.
The truth? Technology won’t save you if your people are blind. Eight out of ten breaches in Uganda begin with human error, weak passwords, fake invoices, or sharing data on WhatsApp.
This October, the Institute of Forensics & ICT Security, a technical training arm of Summit Consulting, is leading Cybersecurity Awareness Month. We are offering free awareness training to organizations ready to treat cyber risk as a governance issue, not an IT problem.
Boards, EXCOs, and CEOs: stop asking “What if hackers strike?”
Start asking: “Will my team recognize the attack when it comes?”
Register your team today. Save your reputation tomorrow.
events.forensicsinstitute.org Stay aware. Stay protected.
