Senior Cyber Safety Briefing – October 19, 2025

🚨ALERT – Major breach at F5 Networks exposes source‑code and critical vulnerabilities
👉Why it matters – Hackers linked to a nation‑state threat actor reportedly broke into F5 for at least a year and stole source code and internal vulnerability info from its BIG‑IP products. This opens the door to attacks on countless networks that rely on F5 gear. Axios
📣Call to Action – Check whether your internet router or enterprise firewall uses F5 BIG‑IP or related products; make sure all updates are applied and network‑access controls are strong.

📈ECONOMY & SECURITY – Car‑carrier Envoy Air hit in software‑supply‑chain hack linked to Oracle E‑Business Suite
👉Why it matters – The attack exploited a third‑party business‑software vulnerability to hack Envoy Air, a major carrier. Even though no customer sensitive data was confirmed stolen, it shows how far‑reaching supply‑chain attacks have become—and seniors often are downstream victims in these. Reuters
📣Call to Action – Even if you’re not flying, ask your bank or utility: “Do you use any third‑party software we should worry about?” And always verify communications via official channels before acting.

🧠MUST‑READ – Europol dismantles SIM‑farm network powering ~49 million fake accounts globally
👉Why it matters – Fraudsters using massive batches of SIM‑cards created fake identities for phishing, investment scams and more. For seniors, that means your mobile number or identity might easily be used in a scam you didn’t even know about. The Hacker News
📣Call to Action – Contact your mobile carrier and ask them to put a “SIM‑port freeze” or “one‑time change PIN” on your line; don’t rely solely on SMS for second‑factor authentication if you can use an authenticator app.

🔥PRIVACY & BIG TECH – China accuses the National Security Agency (NSA) of years‑long cyber‑espionage against China’s national time service
👉Why it matters – While this is state‑to‑state, the implication is that our global digital infrastructure is resting on fragile protections—and the same tools and techniques can trickle down to menace private citizens. The Straits Times
📣Call to Action – On your home devices, make sure time & date settings are correct, update firmware, and never ignore prompts about “device certificates” or “security updates”.

💡OPPORTUNITY – October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month — your ideal reminder to clean up your digital life - https://youtu.be/LtILW9K9hjo
👉Why it matters – With all this buzzing risk, it’s a perfect time for a practical tech‑check. A little effort now can save you from big trouble later. The White House
📣Call to Action – Pick one evening this week and run through your devices: update your computer & phone, uninstall apps you don’t use, check your backup system, and enable two‑factor authentication everywhere.

✅Quick Safety Tip of the Day
When you get a phone call or text urging you to “act now to secure your account” — hang up, go to the official app or website directly, and log in yourself instead of clicking links.

(AI was used to create this article.)

🙋Closing Note

Stay safe, stay secure, stay curious, and remember my friends—you’re never too old to outsmart a scammer👋