Welcome to Week 4 of RRU’s Cyber Month program.  This week’s theme is “Home and Family Week.”

Home and Family Week is a bit of a shift from our usual program.  As we all know, cyber can be challenging and, when you add kids, seniors, or those unfamiliar with the Internet to the mix well, it can get really hard.  This week the goal is to provide you with some resources that you can use when talking to your young ones about being safe online, tips about how to keep aging parents safe when they venture online, etc.

Ready?  Here we go…

Forever connected: the realities of parenting and growing up online.

 

  • Survey conducted by Malwarebytes and 1Password.
  • Examines how kids and parents see Internet usage, social media, etc. differently and the challenges this creates. For example:
    • 73% of Gen Z wish their parents would ask before posting content about them;
    • 39% of parents don’t believe they need permission to post content about their kids.

 

This is a revealing, thought-provoking report that’s well  worth looking at if you’re a parent with kids who are online.

 

Read about the report: https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2022/10/only-half-of-teens-agree-they-feel-supported-online-by-parents

 

Download the report: https://try.malwarebytes.com/forever-connected-report/
Safe Online Surfing

 

We’ve featured this site before, and it’s back this year because of its popularity.

 

  • Safe game site for grades 3 to 8.
  • Developed by the FBI in the US.
    • Exam / school participation not available in Canada
  • Kids can play a series of fun, age appropriate games that teach basic online safety skills.

 

Check out Safe Online Surfing: https://sos.fbi.gov/en/
5 things to teach your kids about social media

 

Kids are back at school… the perfect  time to give them some security and privacy tips.  This is a great article written by a malware expert at Malwarebytes Labs.

  • Each of the 5 tips includes:
    • The issue, so as a parent you’ll have an understanding.
    • A suggestion of what to tell your kids about that particular tip.
  • Topics covered include:
    • Use of default settings in apps
    • The value of anonymity
    • Scams and scammers

 

Read the article: https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/personal/2022/09/5-things-to-teach-your-kids-about-social-media

 

Coming up this week:

  • Results of the latest phishing assessment conducted here at RRU.  It’s a great example of social engineering and what happens when you combine an emotional trigger with urgency.
  • A look at a more serious issue affecting teens on the Internet.
  • Common scams affecting seniors.
  • How you can get a cybersecurity diploma from Amazon.  And… have fun in the process!  Want more?  Amazon will also give you the training you need to become an “Internet Bodyguard.”

 

As with all of our cybersecurity awareness materials, you are welcome to share this email with family and friends.

 

REMEMBER: STOP! THINK! CONNECT.