Teaching Your Kids About Online Safety

Maintaining online safety becomes more vital every day as the amount of cybercrime continues to rise. The wrong mouse click or a visit to the wrong website can infect your computer or smartphone, leaving you vulnerable to stolen passwords and identity theft. A mistake online could expose your computer and your family’s finances. Unfortunately, those who need to be most concerned about online safety are the ones who are least prepared to spot a potential cybercriminal or hacker attack—your kids. It’s up to you to enforce online safety.

Cybercrime is on the rise and affecting everyone. Here are some recent statistics to consider:

• 69% of email spam is designed to get you to visit a malicious website.
  
  
• 53% of millennials experienced some cybercrime last year.
  
  
• Personal data can be sold for $0.20-$15.00 on the dark web.
  
  
• 95% of cloud security failures can be tracked to user error.

Cybercrime has become more profitable than the drug trade. Cybercriminals are sophisticated, and they are busy. There are an estimated 230,000 new pieces of malware released every day, and the FBI reports 4,000 ransomware attacks daily. With so many malicious messages and websites out there, how do you keep your children (and yourself) safe from cybercriminals? The best strategy is to teach them about internet safety and show them how to apply common sense when online.

Dealing with Common Types of Cybercrime

There are various types of cybercrime. To make sense of the different forms of online attacks, let’s break them down into categories:

Phishing Attacks

Phishing is when a cybercriminal tries to trick you into giving up sensitive information, such as a password or credit card number. Phishing attacks usually come in the form of an inbound email designed to direct you to a phony website. Phishing attacks can be sophisticated. For example, they may look exactly like a message from your bank or credit card provider, when in reality they are directing you to a phony website.

The best way to defend against phishing attacks is to assume that all unsolicited email is malware. There are some obvious telltales that will indicate a phishing message. Check the email address to see if it matches the supposed source of the message, or if the message is sent to a list of blind recipients. Also look for problems with the message itself, such as typos or awkward grammar. If the message has an embedded link or attachment, do not click on it. If you think a message may be from a trusted source, use your web browser to log on to the site directly, bypassing the email link.

Identity Theft

Cybercriminals will steal credit card or financial information and use it to make illicit purchases. If you plan to let your kids shop online, be sure to protect your account information. Limit them to one credit card for authorized purchases and monitor that card carefully for suspect purchases. For even greater online safety, consider using a secure pay service like PayPal, which will allow you to make online purchases without exposing account information.

If your identity is stolen, immediately notify the credit card company and your credit union and freeze your credit.

Cyberbullying

Online harassment, or cyberbullying, is a common problem. You can try to limit or monitor your children’s social media activity, but in the age of smartphones, that may be impossible. Try to be aware of what your kids do online and monitor their computer and phone if you can, and watch for a change in behavior or indications of cyberbullying. Report any harassing activity before it gets out of hand. Cyberstalking is similar to cyberbullying and also should be stopped immediately.

Hacking

Hackers are everywhere, and even though they all may not be cybercriminals, it pays to be watchful. The most likely place your kids will encounter a hacker is at the library, a local coffee shop, or anywhere with a public wireless network. It’s easy for anyone to access your laptop or tablet from a public network. Your best defense is to be extremely careful of how you use public wireless networks. Do not access online stores, checking accounts, or credit card accounts from a public network, where anyone can steal your information.

Ransomware

Ransomware is the fastest-growing form of cybercrime. Ransomware usually takes the form of malicious software that locks your computer, holding it ransom until you pay a fee to release it. Although this kind of attack is more prevalent in corporate networks, it can affect consumers as well. Online shakedown artists also will send anonymous emails to your account, indicating they have hijacked your system and will reveal something embarrassing to all your contacts if you don’t pay. Most of these attacks are a bluff.

Online Safety Starts at Home

There are a number of steps you can take to promote online safety for your kids:

• Keep the family computers in a high-traffic area. This will make it easier to monitor activity and discourage any bad online behavior.
  
  
• Use parental locking software. There are a number of software solutions that control access to adult and potentially harmful websites. Consider using parental controls on the family computers.
  
  
• Use software safeguards for sensitive data. There are applications that secure sensitive information such as passwords, including LastPass and in-browser password managers, which provide a secure way to store and log in to online accounts without revealing the passwords themselves.
  
  
• Monitor online activity. Even though it might seem like an invasion of their privacy, make it clear that you are watching your kids online. In fact, 43% of teens change their online behavior if they know they are being watched.
  
  
• Spend time with your kids. Review the dangers of unrestricted online access with your kids. Talk to them about stranger danger and chat rooms, malware, downloading unknown files, and uploading photos and other personal information.

You should take some safety precautions yourself to make sure your online information is secure. Monitor for unauthorized financial activity. Change your passwords regularly, use passwords that are hard to guess or spoof, get a copy of your credit report to check for accuracy, and consider using an identity protection service.

Remember that online safety is a family affair. Educate your kids about potential dangers online and take proactive steps to protect yourself and your family.