Meet Cozy Bear: Roar back with software updates

Celebrating Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and this year’s message is simple: Don’t make life easy for cybercriminals.

Cozy Bear, a cybercriminal organization backed by Russia, stays in business by constantly hunting for outdated and unpatched software.

Sometimes, the hunt is simple. The moment a company releases a software update, they study it to see what vulnerabilities it fixes. Then they peek around the web for companies and people who haven’t installed it yet.

In a way, they get a how-to guide for infecting your machine.

Every day you click “Remind Me Later” for an update is another day Cozy Bear hopes you’re vulnerable…and they want to make your life a lot less cozy.

Don’t make life easy for Cozy Bear

• Turn on automatic updates whenever possible
• Check regularly that operating systems, browsers, apps, and devices are updated
• Restart devices when updates require it

Updates don’t just add features. They are full of Bear repellent. Most operating systems take 5 minutes or less, even including restarting your device.

Find more cybersecurity resources

Find more free cybersecurity tips and resources from the

• National Cybersecurity Alliance
• Cybersecurity and Infrastrastructure & Security Agency
• Heartland Resources

This October, make life difficult for cybercriminals.