Your child may be preparing to go back to school by tagging one or more devices.
Most students now have laptops, tablets, or smartphones, so it’s a good idea to prepare students and their tech for possible hacks.
Here are some tips for making technology work in schools.
1. Talk to your kids about cybersecurity
Teach students to keep personal information private. Do not share your name, address, phone number, birthday, password or school name when using the Internet.
Think twice before posting or saying anything online. Once in cyberspace, it stays there forever.
2. Use unique passwords for everything and enable two-factor authentication
Passwords should be as long as possible and unique per device.Create a strong password of at least 8 characters with a combination of letters, numbers and symbols
Two-factor authentication can provide an extra layer of security by requiring anyone logging into a device to provide another set of credentials, such as a one-time code sent via SMS or email.
Most attackers with access to stolen passwords will not be able to access the second credential.
3. Privacy settings
Use your email and privacy settings on social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.
4. Don’t open emails or messages from strangers
Think twice before clicking. Do not open emails from strangers. Do not click links to unfamiliar sites.
If the offer is too good to be true, it probably is. Hackers use tricks designed to provide personal information or click links to automatically install malware or spyware.
5. Keep an eye on your phone or tablet
Do not leave mobile devices such as mobile phones and tablets unattended. Always lock your device when you are not using it.
6. Know your app
When you download a new app, make sure it’s from a trusted source and check its settings.
7. Connect to the Internet Only When Necessary
Disconnect from the internet when you’re not using your device, and make sure your device isn’t set to automatically connect to Wi-Fi.