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Proactive parents and teachers can help keep kids safe online

Most kids associate October with the scares related to the traditional Halloween standbys — ghosts, witches and zombies. But in the US, the month also marks National 
Cyber Security Awareness month, calling attention to frightening things like online identity theft, cyber bullying, viruses and damaging malware.

If your teen is among the 93 per cent of 12- to 17-year-olds using your family’s laptop, smartphone or tablet to surf the Internet, they are vulnerable to 
multiple cyber threats, many of which could be detrimental.

Moreover, teens do not realise the abundance of threats awaiting them, nor do they recognise a tweet or photo upload can impact not only their reputation and future, but their safety, as well. Microsoft’s research shows that 55 per cent of teens say they give little or no thought to the consequences of 
posting something online.

And, according to a recent survey, one in four parents are overwhelmed by technology and just hope for the best.

“As hackers continue plotting attacks, the increase in vulnerability among teens is likely, but parents may not 
realise they are actually the first line of defence in keeping their families safe online,” says Linda McCarthy, cyber security expert, former senior director of Internet safety at Symantec and 
author of Own Your Space: Keep Yourself and Your Stuff Safe Online.

The increase in prospective cyber threats provides opportunities in the career field of cyber security. If your teen enjoys spending time online, it’s never too early to begin discussing the education required to enter this field.

Cyber security related fields are 
projected to grow more than 28 per cent by 2020, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. DeVry University, which has partnered with McCarthy to provide complimentary copies of the Own Your Space eBook to parents, teachers and teens, recognises the growing need for professionals with the skills required to protect individuals and organisations from cyber attacks. By also partnering with technology leaders like Cisco and Microsoft, its 
students are provided with relevant theoretical and hands-on education.

Cyber security is a moving target, 
and as threats develop daily, it’s 
imperative for parents and teachers to educate teens about these dangers. “The goal is to inform and educate teens, not scare them about the dangers of sharing information online,” says 
McCarthy. “By protecting your family’s devices and empowering teens with 
the information needed to recognise impending threats, cyber sabotage 
is avoidable.”

SAFETY FIRST

For concerned parents and teachers, McCarthy offers the following advice to help protect teens online:

1. Protect equipment. Install and update antivirus software, spyware protection and firewalls.

2. Realise social networking sites are here to stay. Review your teen’s Facebook and Twitter profiles. Make sure they do not display personal 
information such as full names, 
addresses or school names.

3. Boost password strength. Utilise a mixture of letters, numbers and characters. And most importantly, never share passwords with anyone.