Penn 2026 National Cybersecurity Awareness Month Events

Overview

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM). Each year, the Office of Information Security (OIS) marks this occasion by hosting a variety of cybersecurity awareness and training events across the University.

To kick off NCSAM 2026, OIS will participate in the Employee Resource Fair on October 1, 2026, where staff will have the opportunity to connect with information security professionals, learn about current cyber threats, and explore practical strategies for protecting University and personal information.

Penn 2026 NCSAM Events

Penn 2026 Employee Resource Fair

The Office of Information Security (OIS) will participate in the University of Pennsylvania Employee Resource Fair on Thursday, October 1st, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the David Pottruck Health and Fitness Center, University of Pennsylvania. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with OIS staff, learn about cybersecurity best practices, and learn about resources designed to help protect University and personal information.

Free Movie Screening for Students - Digger

Free & Legal (Digger Movie Screening): OIS will host this movie night for students on October 2nd at 5:30 p.m. at Cinemark Theater on Walnut. The free screening of “Digger” will be preceded by a brief discussion on the DMCA, Penn’s copyright policy, and 2-Step Verification. This movie night is open to all Penn students; however, pre-event registration is required due to limited theater seating. 

Registration starts on September 4, 2026 and ends on September 28, 2026. To register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-legal-the-digger-movie-screening-tickets-1999422392198?aff=oddtdtcreator

SANS SEC598: AI and Security Automation for Red, Blue and Purple Teams

From October 19-24, 2026, the University of Pennsylvania's Office of Information Security (OIS) is excited to host SANS SEC598: AI and Security Automation for Red, Blue, and Purple Teams, a six-day, hands-on cybersecurity training course focused on leveraging artificial intelligence and automation to enhance modern security operations.

The course will be held at Quorum at University City Science Center, located at 3675 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

Participants will gain practical experience using AI-driven tools and automation techniques to strengthen threat detection, incident response, security testing, and defensive operations across red, blue, and purple team environments.

For more information and registration details, please visit:https://isc.upenn.edu/security/SANS-SEC598

Resources

Stay Safe Online - National Cybersecurity AllianceNational Institute of Standards and Technology
EDUCAUSEEvents - National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS)
Secure Backup Best PracticeCISA Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Chief Information Officers (CIO) CouncilContact Office of Information Security 
Information Security Training & Awareness