Keep your Children Protected from Cyber Threats
Children can potentially bring more than just illnesses home from school. There are cyber threats lurking within the technology they engage with. Protecting both your child and your data requires careful consideration of their innate traits such as innocence, curiosity, independence, and aversion to consequences. Taking these characteristics into account is essential for safeguarding against potential risks. So, how exactly can you safeguard your children from online risks?
Prior to delving into individual recommendations for kids and parents, let’s begin with some fundamental suggestions applicable to your entire household:
– Stay informed about potential cyber threats.
– Educate your children about the possibility of phishing scams occurring on social media platforms.
– Make regular backups of your devices.
– Disable location sharing across all applications.
– Instead of installing school-related apps on your child’s personal devices, consider using a dedicated device solely for educational purposes. Also, keep home and school devices separate.
How to Protect Kids in the Cyber World?
Get engaged:
Explore opportunities for joint participation, such as engaging in a game, delving into a subject you recently discussed (like preferred destinations for family vacations, a specific hobby, or a historical personality), or creating a family bulletin. By doing so, you’ll be able to oversee your child’s online endeavors while instilling positive digital practices in them.
Establish guidelines and caution against potential risks:
It is essential to familiarize your child with the limitations regarding computer usage. These limitations should align with their age, understanding, and maturity level. Such guidelines may encompass time restrictions for computer usage, permissible websites, approved software programs, and permitted tasks or activities.
Engage in conversations with children regarding the potential hazards of the internet, enabling them to identify questionable actions or behavior. Address the potential risks linked to disclosing specific personal details, such as being alone at home, while emphasizing the advantages of communicating and sharing information solely with familiar individuals. The intention is not to instill fear but to enhance their understanding and vigilance. Moreover, incorporate the subject of online harassment, commonly known as cyberbullying, into these conversations.
Antivirus Protection Software:
It is a no-brainer; we must protect our devices from harmful viruses and malware. Fortunately, modern computers now come equipped with built-in virus and threat protection. Alternatively, a few reliable and affordable programs are available, some of which even offer parental control features. The most trustworthy software typically provides the following functionalities:
- Controls for managing access
- Comprehensive antivirus protection
- Screening of incoming emails
- Firewall capabilities
- Anti-malware safeguards
- Protection against spyware
- Measures to counteract keyloggers
- Features that prevent tampering
- Detection and prevention of unauthorized intrusions
- Tools for managing security information
- Prevention of ransomware attacks
- Software designed to counteract subversive activities
Clickjacking and Malware:
“Get your complimentary iPhone by clicking this link!” entices the message. These enticing offers attract young individuals, including adolescents, but can result in clickjacking or malware. Clickjacking involves concealing links using overlays, deceiving users into unknowingly performing certain actions. A less severe motive behind clickjacking is to persuade users to “like” a Facebook page. However, at the extreme end, criminals can employ it to withdraw funds from a bank account. (This underscores the importance of avoiding device sharing with children whenever feasible. If sharing is unavoidable, we advise establishing distinct user profiles.)
Help your children understand the concepts of clickjacking and malware. There are certain websites that kids and teenagers often visit, which can be easily tricked by these malicious tactics. Teach your kids always to use the most up-to-date versions of their web browsers and avoid clicking on suspiciously attractive links. Similarly, if your children come across strange links or messages posted by their friends, advise them not to click on them. Instead, encourage them to verify if they shared those messages with their friends.
Social Media Use:
Interacting on social media platforms, engaging in video chats, and streaming personal videos have become commonplace activities for both children and adults. However, these activities also carry the potential risk of unintentionally revealing sensitive information to unfamiliar individuals. Even disclosing seemingly innocuous details like one’s place of residence or contact number can enable others to track and uncover further personal data.
Inform your children about the possible risks involved in sharing personal information online, including identity theft, stalking, and harassment. Please encourage them to be mindful when disclosing their whereabouts, age, place of origin, and educational institution. Oversharing details such as attending a specific event or party in the near future can inadvertently provide stalkers with insights into their whereabouts.
