Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Simple Steps for Cyber Safety in 2025

October 1 marks the beginning of Cybersecurity Awareness Month (CAM), an annual initiative dedicated to raising awareness about cybersecurity and promoting safe online practices. Each October, governments, public sector agencies and private sector partners join forces, organizing events and media campaigns to reach as many people as possible and emphasize the importance of staying safe online.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month serves as a timely reminder that security practitioners and managed service providers (MSPs) play a critical role in reinforcing foundational online safety practices among their end-users and clients. In our increasingly interconnected environments, cybersecurity is a shared responsibility that extends beyond IT teams and security experts — it requires broad engagement and vigilance from everyone.

This year’s theme, Stay Safe Online, underscores practical steps security professionals and MSPs can use to guide clients, colleagues and end users in protecting themselves and their organizations from online threats.

This year’s theme: Stay safe online

Stay Safe Online is all about the simple, effective ways you can protect yourself and your organization from cyberthreats. Small actions can make a big difference, and it starts with remembering the basics.

This year, Cybersecurity Awareness Month is highlighting what’s being called the Core 4 — four simple steps that anyone can take to stay safe online.

• Use strong passwords and a password manager: Create unique, complex passwords for every account, and use a password manager to keep track of them securely.
• Turn on multifactor authentication: Add an extra layer of security by enabling multifactor authentication wherever possible. This makes it much harder for attackers to gain access to your accounts.
• Recognize and report scams: Stay alert for suspicious emails, messages and websites. If you encounter a potential scam, report it to your organization or your MSP right away.
• Update your software: Regularly update your devices and applications. Software updates often include important security patches that protect against new threats.

These steps are easy to follow and effective for anyone — whether you have technical expertise or not. By following these four easy steps, you help create a safer digital environment for yourself and others.

Take action: Stay safe online

Cybersecurity is a journey that everyone can join. This October, embrace the Stay Safe Online theme and share the message with others. Whether you’re an individual, an MSP or a business, your actions matter. Visit the official Cybersecurity Awareness Month website to learn more, access helpful resources and find out how you can participate.

Here on the Barracuda Blog, we’ll be taking a closer look at each of these four pieces of advice. Check back for a new post in this series every Wednesday with additional tips and guidance on each topic. Together, we can build a safer, more secure digital world for everyone.