Cyber Security Tips for Students and there parents


Cyber security should start at a young age. Kids are using cell phones, playing video games, streaming music, paying for things with credit cards and engaging with smart technology as young as toddlers (and they are just as susceptible as their parents). In fact, the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) reports that kids ages 8-18 spend 7 hours and 38 minutes per day online. That’s nearly 1/3 of their day! This is why it’s vital for younger generations to stay informed and guarded against digital dangers as well.

  • Get them started on the right foot – Before unboxing or passing down a device to them, set it up with all the security settings and parental controls to ensure they aren’t opening up a can of worms when they power up.
  • Even playing field for parents and kids – Share that the adults are following the same rules. This will make them feel they are not being punished or called out for having to adhere to special guidelines.
  • Think before you click – Similar to stranger danger warnings that are taught from a young age, the same applies to the internet. Don’t click on links that look suspicious, don’t open an email from someone you don’t know and don’t respond to texts from unknown numbers.
  • Make cyber security fun – Have them come up with something silly and equally safe for things like passwords (e.g. $illy$ally), screen names and usernames (e.g. Sk8boarding4fun) and use analogies so they can better relate to cyber security (e.g like spies trying to unlock a treasure chest).
  • Encourage them to learn – STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills help students think more analytically about computers and better understand the importance of digital security.
  • Beware of coffee shops, libraries and other public spaces – The coffee shop might have yummy Lattes, but their free Wifi can be an invitation for cybercrime. Using a public network can save you money, but it can be dangerous if you do not use precautions. Read our tips for using public WiFi, an easy reference guide for how to protect yourself next time you surf on a public network.
  • If it’s too good to be true, it probably is – Spammers are prone to targeting people who don’t know any better, especially children. So teach your kids not to click on shiny objects or fall for unbelievable deals.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Understanding firewall

What do firewalls do? Firewalls provide protection against outside attackers by shielding your computer or network from malicious or unnecessary network traffic and preventing malicious software from accessing the network. Firewalls can be configured to block data from certain locations or applications while allowing relevant and necessary data through. (See  Understanding Denial-of-Service Attacks  and  Understanding Hidden Threats: Rootkits and Botnets  for more information.) What type of firewall is best? There are various types of firewalls with differences in where they are located and what types of activity they control. Firewalls may be broadly categorized as hardware or software. While both have their advantages and disadvantages, the decision to use a firewall is far more important than deciding which type you use. Hardware  – Typically called network firewalls, these external devices are positioned between your computer and the Internet (or o...
Read more

Beware of all this...(Cyber security)

Image
 Don’t be lazy, stop saving your card details Stop saving your card details on your online accounts. Don’t save them for your cloud provider, don’t save them for your favorite ecommerce retailer, don’t save them anywhere . No cards saved on any account, no matter how small or insignificant or secure you might consider it. If you want to buy something online, take your time and fill in the credit card details  every single time . Yes, it’s a pain in the… fingertips. But it’s worth it to lose 30 seconds and do this manually each time you want to buy something. The lazy alternative also comes with a high risk of card fraud . You can never know who manages to breach your account (no matter who’s at fault for it) and end up using your card.  Beware of adware Adware  is a type of software that delivers ads on your system. Usually, these pop-up ads appear like annoying pop-up ads or banners while visiting websites. And they can also slow down your com...
Read more