by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Do you know what your kids are doing on Facebook? Are you aware of whom – and what – they might be texting and emailing?
Do you turn off your computer at night?
Do you remember the last time you updated your antivirus software or downloaded the latest security patches?
If your answer is “no” to any of these questions, you and your family members could be at risk for all kinds of trouble, ranging from identity theft to getting turned down for jobs.
As family members of all ages use computers and carry smartphones, it’s best to consider developing a home security policy to keep everybody safe online, for, as teens and young adults have grown up in a collaborative environment they are much more willing to share information publicly – much more so than people a few years older. And this could lead to all manner of things,including ID theft.
For children, teens and young people sharing what they do, where they have been, where they’re going, who they’re seeing is common nature to them and doing that online is simply a natural extension of who they are. It could be and is a dangerous thing though and children need to learn early that there are things that they never must share with anyone online, especially in open forums and with people they are friends with only in cyberspace.
A home cybersecurity policy should focus on what everyone in the household can do to keep information from being stolen and to keep computers safe from viruses and other attacks. It is also about understanding risky behaviors and their consequences. Much in the same way as a business will have a cybersecurity system in place, including the use or not of removable media, and such like, any home should have such a system in place too.
The policy should be simple enough for every member of the family to understand – and should include a parent’s right to know what his or her children are doing. There is no “this is my space” from the children for it is their security and that of the entire family that could be at stake and not just cybersecurity.
Here are some suggestions of what should be included in a home cybersecurity policy:
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Don’t share any information that you wouldn’t want your mother or grandmother to know.
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Befriend only people you know personally on any site where you are exchanging information about your family and personal life. Use privacy settings, and put them as high and strict as possible.
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Designate someone as the family cybersecurity director. He or she will be responsible for updating antivirus software, downloading patches and running virus scans.
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Make sure everyone in the family knows basic cybersecurity rules. Most adults have learned not to click on unknown attachments or links, but added we cannot, necessarily, expect children to automatically know that. The fact is that many adults don't adhere to that policy proper either.
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Develop safe-practice rules for smartphones and laptops used in public hot spots.
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Password-protect computer log-ins and put away any papers containing sensitive information, such as bank account numbers.
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Set up each and every computer to run a virus scan of any removable media that may be inserted, whether USB sticks, CDs or DVDs. It can be done and many a virus or Trojan has been imported into networks and computers by such means.
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Download (free) software and other material only from reliable sources. When it comes to software downloads ensure they are via the original site of the maker or via download.com or such.
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Make it a habit to scan each and every download for viruses and malware using your antivirus program.
Armed with such information, you should be well-equipped to protect yourself, your home and your family from identity thieves and other cybercriminals. But protection is only as good as your own vigilance and antivirus and anti-malware software is only as good as the latest update. Update regularly, ideally daily or several times a day; at least check as to whether there are new signatures and such available.
Stay safe, surf secure and do not share sensitive information.
© 2011
