Senior Cyber Safety Briefing – November 1, 2025

🚨 ALERT
A major U.S. telecom‑services supplier, Ribbon Communications, was breached by a nation‑state actor and lurked inside its systems for nearly a year. Reuters+2Cybernews+2
👉 Why it matters – Ribbon provides core technology for many major carriers. If their network is compromised, the ripple effects can reach your phone or internet service, potentially exposing call logs, account info or other personal data.
📣 Call to Action – Check with your internet or phone provider: ask if any of their subcontractors or infrastructure partners have reported breaches. While waiting for their answer, enable multi‑factor authentication (MFA) on your account and change your provider‑access password — yes, even the one you set “years ago”.

📚 MUST‑READ
Corporate use of artificial intelligence is growing so fast that many firms’ security controls can’t keep up. cybersecuritydive.com
👉 Why it matters – Even if you’re not running AI at home, this means that the companies you deal with (banks, utilities, insurance, healthcare) might be relying on systems with weak oversight. That increases your risk through third‑party exposure.
📣 Call to Action – For any online account you hold: review the security or privacy settings. If there’s an option to limit AI‑driven features or allow less data‑sharing, consider enabling it. Keep personal info exposure low.

💼 ECONOMY & SECURITY
The cryptic but big picture: as the infrastructure of communication (telecoms, internet) gets hit, it raises the stakes for service reliability and costs. The Ribbon breach is not isolated. Dark Reading+1
👉 Why it matters for you – Service disruptions or security incidents cost money, which companies may shift to customers via higher fees or reduced service levels.
📣 Call to Action – Review your monthly bills (phone, internet). If you spot “network security fee” or “cyber‑resilience charge”, ask what it covers. Consider shopping around: a provider with clear security practices and transparent fees is worth it.

🔐 PRIVACY & BIG TECH
It’s “Senior Cyber Safety Month” (yes, it’s official). Facebook About+1
👉 Why it matters – Scammers love seniors because of less frequent security updates or assuming “I’m too old for digital trouble”. Big tech and social‑media platforms now offer extra tools to protect older users—but you’ve got to turn them on.
📣 Call to Action – On your social‑media accounts or email: go to Settings → Privacy/Security → Review who can see your posts, who can message you, check “data sharing with third‑party apps” toggle. Also update any security‑recovery contact info (phone number, daughter’s email, etc) so you’re not locked out or targeted with “we found suspicious login” scams.

✅ Quick Safety Tip of the Day
If you get a phone call saying “We detected strange activity on your account, press 1 to connect to tech support” — hang up, call your provider at the number on your bill, and ask if there really is a problem. Real companies don’t ask you to press 1.

(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 👋