The Center for Internet Security Joins Take9, Reminds Users to Pause to Protect Against Cyber Threats

EAST GREENBUSH, N.Y., Feb. 5, 2024 — The Center for Internet Security, Inc. (CIS^®) has joined the Take9 public awareness campaign, reminding internet users to take nine seconds to stop and think before clicking, opening, or sharing something that could be malicious.

Cyber threats come in varying forms. An email from the boss, a text from the bank, or a Facebook message from a friend are often not what they appear. The evolution of artificial intelligence is making it more difficult to detect the subtle clues that give bad actors away. They convey a sense of urgency to prevent victims from having time to think until it’s too late.

A simple, nine-second pause may be all it takes to prevent someone from becoming a victim and stop the ripple effect through an organization or friends list.

“All of us have a role to play in preventing cyber threats,” said John Cohen, executive director, Program for Countering Hybrid Threats at CIS. “Whether you are a senior government official, a corporate executive, a student, or a retiree, simply taking a moment before clicking a link can protect your personal security, your employer, and your friends and family.”

To learn more about the Take9 awareness campaign, and other online safety tips visit www.pausetake9.org.

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About CIS

The Center for Internet Security, Inc. (CIS®) makes the connected world a safer place for people, businesses, and governments through our core competencies of collaboration and innovation. We are a community-driven nonprofit, responsible for the CIS Critical Security Controls® and CIS Benchmarks™, globally recognized best practices for securing IT systems and data. We lead a global community of IT professionals to continuously refine these standards to proactively safeguard against emerging threats. Our CIS Hardened Images® provide secure, on-demand, scalable computing environments in the cloud. CIS is home to the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center® (MS-ISAC®), the trusted resource for cyber threat prevention, protection, response, and recovery for U.S. State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) government entities, and the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center® (EI-ISAC®), which supports the cybersecurity needs of U.S. election offices. To learn more, visit CISecurity.org or follow us on X: @CISecurity.