As a result of the recent rush to adopt e-learning, the field has been exposed to an increase in cyber-attacks; cybercriminals are finding opportunities to defraud schools, steal sensitive information or deploy ransomware schemes to extort money. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) recently warned that attackers are taking advantage of the transition to online learning due to COVID-19 through increased targeting of virtual environments, including those utilized by schools all over the world.

While online learning provides so many positive opportunities for learners and teachers alike, it is more important than ever to strengthen cybersecurity defences to deal with new and emerging attacks. 

Cybersecurity At Home: What Parents Should Know

When it comes to in-person learning, schools typically offer reliable protection to students that restrict them from accessing harmful content, while also protecting them from a wide range of threats such as malware or immoderate social media. This is usually achieved through the use of filters and blacklists (a collection of websites that are inaccessible to users) applied to school devices or through the school’s network connection. However, with young learners turning to digital classrooms, parents may not have access to the same safeguards put in place by formal institutions.

Cybersecurity Tips for Parents and Children

As a parent, you are your child’s best protection against online threats like those mentioned above. Here are five steps that you can start following with your child today:

⦁ Teach Passwords and Privacy: Help your children password protect all devices and online accounts. Teach them why creating strong passwords is important, ⦁ how to create them and never to share them.

⦁ Monitor and Communicate: Communicate what comprises an acceptable, respectable (to themselves and others) online post and take the time to monitor your child’s online activity as often as possible.

⦁ Protect Identity and Location: Disable photo geotagging on your ⦁ Android or iPhone and remind your child not to share any personal info online like age, school, address, phone number, last name or any personally identifiable data.

⦁ Use Secure Wi-Fi: Ensure that your home’s wifi includes encryption and a strong password to restrict outside access, and only share your password with those that you know and trust.

⦁ Utilize Parental Controls: Many kids are given their first tablet or internet-connected device before they can fully comprehend the power in their hands. Try using built-in ⦁ parental control features to start taking precautions and monitor their usage as early as possible.