This week focuses on the third cybersecurity behavior: Update Your Software. Updates often include critical security patches that protect against newly discovered vulnerabilities. Failing to update can leave your devices, apps, and accounts exposed to cyberattacks.
At CUNY, keeping your software updated is an essential step in safeguarding access to University systems and protecting both personal and institutional data.
At CUNY, keeping your software updated is an essential step in safeguarding access to University systems and protecting both personal and institutional data.
Helpful Cybersecurity Tips
- Turn on automatic updates on your operating system and apps.
- Update not just your computer – don’t forget mobile devices, browsers, and plug-ins.
- Install updates promptly instead of postponing them.
- Remove or replace unsupported software that no longer receives updates.
- Restart devices regularly so that updates can finish installing.
Additional Resources and Tips:
- How to Update Your Software (NCA)
- Update Software — Secure Our World (CISA)
- Update Now, Stay Secure
- Cybersecurity Best Practices (CISA)
Facts and Figures:
Insights from the 2024–2025 “Oh, Behave!” Report (National Cybersecurity Alliance & CybSafe) are as follows:
- 37% of people install software updates as soon as they are available.
- 21% admit they often delay updates for days or weeks.
- 46% of people worry updates will take too long or interrupt their work.
- Devices and applications that are out of date account for more than half of successful cyberattacks reported in the past year.
- Turning on automatic updates is considered one of the easiest, most effective defenses, yet fewer than 40% of users enable it.
Our emails and supporting information are available from the National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) page on the CUNY web site. We also provide a growing security resources list on the CUNY Information Security pages. You may also want to visit the OUCH! website to read recent security articles or subscribe to the world’s leading, free security awareness newsletter designed for technology users.
For additional Security Awareness resources go to: Awareness
For additional Security Awareness resources go to: Awareness
To report suspicious emails or spam use the yellow banner address that accompanies all emails originating outside of CUNY at
reportspam@PROTECTED for other online or browsing threats contact our Service Desk at helpdesk@PROTECTED.
If you have any questions about any of this information, please contact Kazi Islam kislam@PROTECTED our Information Security Manager
YorkIT
Greg Vega
Interim AVP/CIO
York College Information Technology
718-262-5231