Build skills. Strengthen security. Cybersecurity Month with Compendium CE
October is a key moment in the digital security calendar. In Europe, the European Cybersecurity Month (ECSM) returns for its 15th edition, bringing together ENISA, the European Commission, EU Member States and public- and private-sector partners. In the United States, Cybersecurity Awareness Month marks its 23rd edition. Both initiatives encourage organizations and individuals to build practical security habits, strengthen resilience and treat cybersecurity as a shared responsibility.
Cybersecurity in 2026: People, AI and Resilience
The 2026 European campaign continues to be promoted through #CyberSecMonth and the official motto #ThinkB4UClick, under the broader message “Cybersecurity is a Shared Responsibility” The 2026 kick-off, titled “The Human Compass: navigating the future through cyber awareness” https://curia.europa.eu/site/jcms/p1_1000086001/pl/european-cybersecurity-month-kick-off-event places particular emphasis on geopolitical threats, emerging risks, the human factor and effective awareness programs. The message is clear: technology alone is not enough, resilience depends on informed decisions, practiced response and continuously developed skills.
Learn more on the official ENISA European Cybersecurity Month page.
Cybersecurity Awareness Month in the United States. In 2026, the U.S. campaign led by CISA is promoted under the theme “Securing the Next 250” linking cyber resilience with the United States’ 250th anniversary. CISA highlights four core actions: avoid and report phishing, use strong passwords, enable multifactor authentication and a password manager, and keep software updated. The National Cybersecurity Alliance complements this with the message “Don’t Make It Easy for Them,” reminding people and organizations that consistent everyday habits make cybercrime more difficult. Together, these messages connect personal cyber hygiene with organizational resilience, incident readiness and the protection of critical services.
Learn more on the official CISA Cybersecurity Awareness Month page.
Top Cybersecurity Challenges in 2026
- AI-Accelerated Attacks and AI Governance
Artificial intelligence is accelerating reconnaissance, social engineering, malware development and attack automation. At the same time, organizations must secure their own AI use, govern data exposure and manage risks such as prompt injection, unsafe integrations and excessive autonomy.
- Identity, Phishing and Deepfake-Enabled Fraud
Highly personalized phishing, business email compromise, synthetic voice and video, and stolen credentials increasingly bypass traditional awareness cues. Strong identity controls, phishing-resistant MFA and rapid reporting are essential.
- Ransomware, Data Extortion and Faster Incidents
Ransomware operations are becoming more fragmented, targeted and automated, with growing use of data-only extortion. Shorter attack timelines require tested incident response, reliable backups, crisis communication and recovery planning.
- Supply-Chain, Cloud and Edge Exposure
Dependence on cloud platforms, software suppliers, managed services and often under-monitored edge devices creates concentrated risk. Organizations need visibility across third parties, assets, configurations, identities and vulnerabilities.
- Geopolitical Situation and Critical-Infrastructure Risk
Cyber operations increasingly track geopolitical tensions and can disrupt essential services, supply chains and cross-border business. Resilience now requires scenario planning, coordinated response and the ability to operate through disruption.
- Skills Gaps, Regulatory Pressure and Workforce Sustainability
In 2026, the shortage of specific, validated skills is a greater concern than headcount alone. Teams must meet rising requirements under frameworks and regulations such as NIS2, DORA and sector-specific rules while preventing burnout and maintaining clear development paths.
Essential Cybersecurity Competencies for 2026
- AI Security and Responsible Automation
The ability to evaluate AI-enabled threats, secure AI systems and data, validate automated decisions, and implement governance that keeps human accountability in the loop.
- Incident Response, Threat Hunting and Recovery
Hands-on capability to detect, investigate, contain and eradicate incidents, preserve evidence, communicate under pressure and restore operations through tested recovery procedures.
- Cloud, Identity and Zero Trust Security
Practical skills in identity and access management, secure cloud architecture, configuration management, encryption, workload protection and continuous verification across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
- Security Engineering, Vulnerability and Exposure Management
The ability to design secure systems, prioritize exploitable exposures, manage attack surfaces, test controls and remediate weaknesses across endpoints, edge devices, applications and suppliers.
- Governance, Risk, Compliance and Third-Party Assurance
Working knowledge of NIS2, DORA, GDPR,AI Act and relevant industry requirements, combined with risk-based decision-making, supplier assurance, policy development and evidence-based control validation.
- Security Awareness, Communication and Collaboration
Cybersecurity professionals need clear communication, critical thinking and cross-functional collaboration to influence behavior, translate risk into business language and build a sustainable security culture.
Build skills. Strengthen security. Cybersecurity Month with Compendium CE.
This October, turn cybersecurity awareness into practical capability with Compendium CE. Register during 1–31 October 2026 for any eligible training session marked Guaranteed to Run (GTR) and scheduled to take place by 31 December 2026, and receive a 10% discount on the standard training fee. Explore the Compendium CE training catalogue and check the latest Guaranteed to Run sessions. Build the skills your team needs to prevent, detect and respond to today’s cyber threats.
Terms and Conditions of the “Build skills. Strengthen security. Cybersecurity Month with Compendium CE” promotion.
- The promotion is organized by Compendium Centrum Edukacyjne Sp. z o.o., with its registered office at ul. Tatarska 5, Kraków, Poland, hereinafter referred to as “Compendium CE”.
- The promotion is valid from 1 October 2026 through 31 October 2026. To qualify, Compendium CE must receive the participant’s or customer’s registration within this period.
- The promotion applies to any training session that is marked Guaranteed to Run (GTR) at the time of registration and is scheduled to take place no later than 31 December 2026.
- Eligible registrations receive a 10% discount on the standard training fee. Any applicable VAT and costs not included in the standard training fee are calculated separately.
- Places are limited and registrations are accepted in the order in which they are received, subject to availability and confirmation by Compendium CE.
- The promotion cannot be combined with other discounts, special offers or individually negotiated pricing and does not apply to training financed in whole or in part through external funding programs, including EU or KFS funding.
- If an eligible registration is cancelled, transferred to a non-eligible session or otherwise changed so that the promotion conditions are no longer met, the discount may be withdrawn and the standard fee may apply.
- Training delivery, rescheduling, cancellation and participation remain subject to the General Terms and Conditions for Participation in Compendium CE Training. Compendium CE reserves the right to correct an obvious pricing or eligibility error before confirming the registration.
- Matters not covered by these promotion terms are governed first by the General Terms and Conditions for Participation in Compendium CE Training and then by the applicable provisions of Polish law.
