Category: Internet Security

In a world of easy internet access, our children are vulnerable to online criminals. There are several types of personal data that parents should protect for their kids. We’ll take a look at what you need to know to keep your family safe online.

We will also show a valuable resource that shows which apps for kids that collect the most data.  This data collection goes unnoticed unless parents are vigilant.

Your Children Are Vulnerable Online

Because we all use the web so much, it’s easy to forget about internet privacy. Companies, agencies, and other organizations track us when we are online: our location, our financial data, and our personal information, as well as what we buy. Even our conversations are recorded and stored by companies.

Companies use this data for marketing. Unfortunately, hackers and other criminals can access it to steal, defame, and otherwise harm our children. One of the main forms that kids are at risk is through the use of apps.  Apps are used for education, social media, gaming, messaging, and streaming entertainment.  These are just one facet of a child’s internet use.

Ways to Protect Your Family

The first step is to talk to your children. As long as your children are online, they are not too young to learn about internet safety. Set age-appropriate rules and boundaries for internet usage. Then, teach them to understand why you’ve put these in place.

The most important thing you can teach them is to avoid sharing information with people they don’t know. They should not share personal data, like their phone or address, online. Instead, they can give that info out via phone or text.

In the meantime, there are steps you can take to safeguard their privacy online:

• Use a VPN with your internet service to block unwanted sites and safeguard browsing features.
• Protect your browser by disabling tracking cookies and enabling private browsing in your options. That will protect their data and actions from being monitored.
• Use trustworthy antivirus services and parental controls to keep kids and their computers safe.
• Have your kids set up and store unique and complex passwords for all their accounts. Using the same ones repeatedly puts them at risk.

Besides these generic safety tools, there are several options you can employ to protect them during their most common activities.

Social Media

Just about all our kids are on social media. Unfortunately, this can be a dangerous place. To keep kids safe, you must teach them to keep personal data private while on social media. Here are some simple guidelines you can teach them:

• What we share online can be stored forever. Make sure your kids understand how to use good judgment and discretion when posting. If they are uncertain, start a conversation about what makes a good post versus TMI (too much information).
• Everyone likes to post photos. Sadly, family pictures can attract predators, cyberbullies, and other internet dangers. Teach them to respect others’ privacy by not posting pictures of other people without their permission.
• Many websites give you an option to log in using a social media profile rather than your email. That leads to numerous security dangers. Instead, teach your kids to set up a new profile via email rather than exposing social media data.

Virtual Gaming

Online gaming is another area that exposes our kids to identity theft, data mining, phishing, and other hazards. There are several protections you can put in place to safeguard their virtual gaming activities.

• Computer cameras and mics may be exploited with the click of an insecure link. Be sure your kids are not clicking anything suspicious or unverified while in games. You can also cover the camera and unplug peripherals when offline.
• Turn off location tracking on devices if possible whenever gaming.
• If you have secure Wifi or a VPN and antivirus software, you’ll give your child an extra level of protection against unsecured gaming servers.
• Finally, be sure to update applications and software regularly.

Online Shopping

Safely shopping online is a bit of a tricky activity since your child needs to enter secure data, such as location, phone, and credit card info. Teach your child to recognize safe sites for shopping (i.e., Amazon, Target) versus unknown name sites or links that redirect elsewhere. Additionally, kids need to be wary of clicking email links from unknown sources.

Posting a direct bank account link is also unsafe. Therefore, instead of using a debit card, have your kids use a credit card for an extra measure of safety. Kids should also protect their credit card usage by keeping their online receipts and looking for suspicious activity on their accounts. Have them avoid saving credit card data either with a retailer or in their cookies.

Online Courses

Since the pandemic, more children are relying on online education. Unfortunately, from 2018 to 2019, problems with student data security in classrooms tripled. Your child’s grades, progress, and other confidential school data are stored online and can be vulnerable to attacks.

Be sure that your educators and administrators take the appropriate steps to protect student privacy. Review your schools’ digital policies, including how information is protected and shared. Schools should use FERPA Sherpa, a government resource designed to help them protect student privacy.

Kids today cannot avoid using the internet. This puts them at great risk for cybercrimes. However, these simple steps can keep your children safe online no matter what they are doing. As mentioned, apps are now one of the ways most of us access resources and information according to our own interests. This is especially true when using smart phones and tablets.

Our safe Google search tools are always free and that is one very important facet of internet safety. Still, we also provide guidance on software solutions that families and schools may be looking for to ensure complete protection online. Cyber discounts are now in effect to get the best prices on to full protection.

This page is your complete resource guide to access and review the various deals available. After you have researched what you need to protect your family members and personal devices, you will be able to explore our cyber discounts on software solutions.

A Review of Online Safety Solutions

Here is a rundown of the various parental controls, internet filtering and security solutions that can be explore according to your family needs.

1. Anti-Virus Software:

This is essential basic software that filters your email to protect your computer from becoming infected with a virus. No computer should be without this recommend anti-virus software. Many operating systems come with enough security to screen your email, such as on a Mac computer or Windows 10.

2. Virtual Private Networks:

Read how a VPN can protect your family at home and while out in public places, such as when using public WiFi.

3. Anti-Malware:

Includes the removal and full protection from malware infecting your computer.  It blocks a variety of viruses and subversive malware from infecting your computer due to a cyber attack or in the event you accidentally visit an infected website.

4. Internet Filtering with Parental Controls:

This is one of the main reasons parents find themselves on our website. Protecting your kids from harmful online content can only be achieved with internet filtering that also blocks access to the internet according to the age of each child in your home.

5. Safe Search for Kids:

The filtering tool on our website is enhanced by by Google to ensure safe search results for all keywords entered. It is a FREE solution when searching Google. While it will block search results for inappropriate search terms entered, it does not block access to other areas of the internet when kids leave our site.

Now, let’s explore how to access the protections you are seeking.  The first links take you directly to the price options for each software program, followed by links to the related articles.

Software Solutions

Here is a breakdown of the four parts for complete cyber security and computer safety.

Parental Control Software:

• Get the latest pricing on parental controls.
• What does this software do for your family?  Read our article on parental control options that give you complete control of the internet in your home.

Anti-Virus Software:

• Explore anti-virus software for email protection, read our article on how anti-virus compares with other security solutions.
• A secondary article delves into anti-virus for gamers that also increases online game speed. This prevents users from turning anti-virus off.

Malware Protection:

• Get the latest pricing on Anti-Malware.
• Learn more about how anti-malware software can remove malware from your computer and provide continued protection against ransomware.

Free Filtering Tools

If you are buying a new phone, tablet or computer for your child this year, at the very least we recommend using our website free safe search options.  Bookmark our home page for safe searching of Google, images, Wikipedia for kids and videos.

Before you buy a tablet, read about security options for Apple or Android tablets such as Samsung.

Parental Controls for Google, iPads, Samsung and Kids Tablets

People don’t often think of their smartphones as being a way that hackers can attack their personal information. This is not really the case, however, as phones become more and more like small computers that live in your pocket. As technology continues to evolve, it’s important to consider every device to be at risk.

Smartphones can do more and more things that computers can do and you will find that you have probably not considered the ways in which your phone might expose you to personal data security safety. Your smartphone has access to the internet, can be connected to public WIFI, and has access to most of your banking and personal data through apps. This makes it a very easy way to gain access to your online data that you would otherwise think was safe.

Even if you have your computers locked down really well, your cellphone might lead to a hacker being able to gain access to your personal information that would have been safe if your phone was locked down in a better way. If you want to learn more about making your smartphone more safe and secure, read on!

5 Tips for Making Smartphone More Safe and Secure

1.       Use a Password

You should always use a password or a lock sequence to lock your phone down. If you drop your phone or forget it somewhere, it is a huge risk to have it open to being used by anyone that picks it up. If you want to be sure that your phone is secure, even if it is lost somewhere, you need to use the lock screen options that keep your phone secure from outsiders unlocking it.

Secure passwords and other kinds of lock combinations that can protect your phone will make sure that people cannot pick up your phone and access your data and other information if they pick up your phone. If you leave your phone at a friend’s house, drop it on public transit, or forget it in airport security, you will be able to be sure that your phone is safe if someone picks it up.

2.       Do Not Use Public Chargers

Public charging hubs can be the source of hacking attempts. Public ports can lead to hackers having access to your phone when it is plugged into the public hub. These hubs can transmit data and mine it, and you want to avoid this possible connection to data theft that you do not want to be exposed to.

Compromised power strips and other kinds of power outlets that are common use in public locations are always risky to use and you should consider if this is the best choice for your needs. You should always be able to find a wall plug-in if you need it, and you do not need to feel pressured to use these charging hubs if there is no obvious choice available. Make sure that you are not lured into using a public charging hub unless it is the direst situation.

3.       Use Two-Factor Authentication

You might originally be annoyed having to do these extra steps, but two-factor authentication can make sure that your phone is very safe from hacking. This process double-checks your access and identity to make sure that it is legitimate before you access your banking app among other things.

Two-factor security is becoming far more common and you should jump on board the security train that is offered by this process. You will just enter a code and your phone will verify that it is you who is accessing your personal information before allowing you to use your phone for access to apps. You can also use biometric information for this two-factor authentication process.

4.       Keep Your Phone Updated

Updates make sure that your phone’s security is up to date. Security patches make sure that your phone does not allow access to your data through common cyber threats and you will be much better protected if you use these updates as soon as they are made available. Skipping updates on your phone can lead to major issues with security as well as issues with performance.  If you smartphone isn’t working consider repairing it rather than throwing it away and getting a new one.

Your phone will usually offer you a security update at least once a month, but you should never assume that you do not need to take advantage of these updates when they are offered. It usually takes a few minutes to download a security patch and you do not have to feel like this is a big burden if you stay on top of these updates as they arrive.

5.       Avoid the Use of Public WIFI

Public WIFI is rife with risks and you should always turn off your public WIFI access when you do not need it for anything. WIFI access can expose your phone to many threats that you can avoid by simply turning off your WIFI when you do not need it. Public WIFI sources are always going to open your phone to risks that are better off avoided.

WIFI use can be necessary, but you should always limit your access to public WIFI sources that are not secured, particularly if you are traveling. There is no need to use a huge WIFI network like an airport or restaurant’s WIFI unless you really need WIFI for some reason. Phones these days have access to a network for your needs, so you should not feel pressured to use public WIFI for any reason.

If you do need to use public WIFI, make sure that you have a VPN that you can use for this access. A VPN will encrypt your connection and make it as safe and secure as if you were not using public WIFI. Forbes has rated and shortlisted VPN providers based on a criteria of options if you’re looking for a trusted VPN service.

Making Your Smartphone Secure is Easy

If you have been worrying about keeping your phone safe when you are using it on a daily basis you should use these tips and tricks to make sure that your phone is secure every day. You should never skip updates, always use good WIFI practices and avoid basic issues that can lead to cyberthreats and other kinds of hacking. If you make sure that your phone safety behaviors are on point, you will have good luck with your overall phone safety practices.

Keeping your phone safe is important to make sure that you do not fall prey to any of the common data theft and cybersecurity issues that can lead to personal identity issues and other problems for people.

Online gaming isn’t just for fun anymore. It’s a means to socialize. Gaming can even have some serious benefits when it comes to a child’s psyche, as gaming can encourage collaboration and team building, improve social skills through effective communication, and allow children to connect with other people that have the same hobbies.

Social benefits aside, many parents understandably are wary of letting their kids play video games and also engage in the gaming communities that supplement them — and we don’t blame them. Thankfully, there are a few things we can instill in our kids to teach them how to safely engage with fellow gamers online, beginning with these three best practices.

1.  “Never share your personal information”

When it comes to online gaming, there’s no such thing as being too careful. Sharing personal information can put your child at risk of hackers and other dangerous cyber activity.

That being said, be sure to warn your child about sharing personal information online, including your address, phone number, full names, and even account passwords. This way, your child will be able to have fun and connect with other gamers without putting both you and themselves at risk.

2.  “Be aware of pop-up scams”

Pop-up scams are all too common on the internet. However, with a child on a computer, it’s essential to warn them about these malicious pop-ups and inform them on what to do if they encounter one.

Without properly educating your child on cyber scams, they may accidentally download malware that can harm your device. Not to mention, cybercriminals may send harmful attachments on forums that your child can gain access to.

3.  “Don’t purchase cheat codes”

Sometimes, it’s cool to get certain modifications and cheat codes on the internet. However, things get a lot less cool when these cheat codes (potentially) expose your device to harmful viruses.

For this reason, it’s extremely important to educate your child on cheat codes and how they may harm your device. While downloading cheat codes can be tempting, your child should know the impact they may have on your devices so that they can think twice before pressing “download.”

For more perspective on gaming communities and how to engage safely in them, pore over the infographic below, courtesy of Norton.

Read about online safety for kids while playing Pokemon Go.

Review the parents guide to navigating Twitch TV.