President Donald Trump has declared October 2025 as Cybersecurity Awareness Month – making it the 22nd consecutive year of that designation.
The president and Congress have recognized October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month since 2004 to help Americans protect themselves online.
President Trump made the announcement in an Oct. 17 proclamation. However, the Department of Homeland Security and its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) component officially announced the beginning of Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2025 on Sept. 29, before the federal government shutdown began.
“This month, especially, the First Lady and I encourage every American to take steps to safeguard their personal devices, technology, and data — including by using stronger passwords and multifactor authentication, reporting fraudulent emails, backing up critical data, and regularly updating software,” President Trump said in his proclamation.
“We also renew our pledge to unleash the full might of American ingenuity to respond to every threat to our privacy, freedom, and national security — and we vow to never waver in defending the lives, liberty, and safety of the American people,” he added.
In the proclamation, President Trump highlighted the executive order he signed earlier this year that aims to strengthen the nation’s cybersecurity. The order builds on two prior cybersecurity orders issued by the Biden and Obama administrations, creating new urgency for action on several existing and developing cybersecurity challenges.
The president also highlighted the work of First Lady Melania Trump to champion the Take It Down Act, which mandates social media platforms to remove sexually explicit images and videos of others.
“Her dedication reminds us that cybersecurity is not only about networks and infrastructure, but also about safeguarding the dignity, privacy, and well-being of every American child,” President Trump noted.
“My Administration will do whatever it takes to make America cyber secure,” he said.
CISA is leading the national campaign throughout the month of October, providing partner agencies and private sector partners with tools and resources to bolster their defenses. This year’s theme is Building a Cyber Strong America.
However, amid the ongoing federal government shutdown, CISA has retained just 35% of its staff, raising concerns among some experts about the agency’s ability to maintain cyber readiness.
For instance, Deepak Kumar, the founder and CEO of Adaptiva, a global leader in autonomous endpoint management, told MeriTalk that the shutdown places an “enormous strain on an already stretched thin federal cyber workforce.”
“It’s particularly ironic that the shutdown coincides with Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a time meant to strengthen cyber vigilance. Instead, we’re sidelining the very professionals and technologies needed to maintain resilience across government networks,” Kumar said.