Cybersecurity Awareness Month

October is Cybersecurity awareness month, providing an opportunity for organisations to review their cyber resilience and reinforce good security practice. This year’s theme is ‘Don’t make it easy for them’. Staying safe online isn’t about making one perfect decision, it’s about building habits and repeating them consistently in the small moments that happen every day. By adopting good cyber defences, we can help limit the effectiveness of cyber-attacks.

Research from the UK Government's Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025/26 highlighted that how just over four in ten businesses (43%) and around three in ten charities (28%) reported having observed any kind of cyber security breach or attack in the last 12 months. More specifically phishing attacks remained the most prevalent type of breach or attack by far with qualitative interviews highlighting that they had become easier for attackers to commit and this was contributing to a perceived increase in the volume of attacks.

Can small habits strengthen your cyber defences?

Cyber hygiene refers to the everyday habits that can help keep your devices, accounts and personal information secure. Many people assume cybersecurity is something only the IT department handles. Others believe installing antivirus software is enough to stay protected, but neither is enough on its own.

Most successful cyberattacks rely on simple mistakes. Those same risks can be often avoided with a few smart, daily habits:

• Use strong, unique passwords for every account
• Install software updates when they become available
• Lock your computer or phone when you step away
• Think twice before clicking links or downloading attachments
• Report suspicious emails instead of ignoring them

While individual awareness is critical, organisations also need the right tools, systems and support in place to strengthen their security. Our Software Products and Associated Services framework provides access to security solutions such as antivirus, encryption, firewalls and malware protection, helping organisations build multiple layers of defence that can stop a simple mistake becoming a serious incident.

Visit here to find out more: Software Products and Associated Services