Cybersecurity in education is lagging behind other industries. Between classroom management, learning objectives, and so much more, it usually doesn’t rise to top priority.
But as technology evolves and continues to become more integrated into every aspect of our lives, cybersecurity is something we need to be mindful about and help students understand.
What is cybersecurity?
In its simplest form, cybersecurity is everyone working together to keep our information safe and our computer systems secure. Protecting the personal data of you and your kids should be a top priority, as malicious online activity continues to threaten the safety and privacy of users.
Digital miscreants are eager to take advantage by targeting parents, students and teachers with ruses of all kinds. We are all targets for hackers who, besides damaging our personal and financial wellbeing, could use a compromised device to gain access to school networks.
Be on the lookout for traditional shopping scams and other school-related phishing attempts. If you partake in some last-minute online shopping for school supplies, be extra vigilant against unsolicited emails claiming you’ve won any smart devices or vouchers. Only use trusted websites to shop and use a VPN to protect your financial information from network snoops.
Safe Password Management
Practice good password hygiene. Make sure your devices and school accounts are set up using strong, unique passwords. To facilitate easy password management, consider using a secure password manager.
Ensure that you and your kids’ smart devices are password-protected. Instruct your kids to never leave their laptops and smartphones unattended or without a password. Scammers could easily steal the sensitive data.
Keep systems up to date at all times and install a security solution on your devices to ensure you don’t unwittingly install malware or fall victim to a phishing website.
Educate kids on creating a positive online presence and never respond to threats or cyberbullying.
Malware and Viruses
School time may also mean more video conferences and webcam usage, so make sure that your security solutions offer webcam protection. This should ensure that no malicious program or individual can hijack your camera to film you or your kids.
Research any school-related apps you or your kid may want to install on the device – go through reviews and privacy policy before downloading.
Teach kids to value their private data. Sometimes, we’re just a click away from sharing personal information with strangers. Make sure that kids never give their Social Security number, home address or phone number to anyone.
Cybersecurity is an ever-changing field, as systems and networks become more advanced, and the next generation is going to be innovating, maintaining, and strengthening these digital security efforts. We’re all connected to devices and other people more than ever before, and much of our information and assets exist in cyberspace. Just as physical security continues to be imperative to protecting ourselves, cybersecurity is even more necessary in today’s world.
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