I don’t speak ‘cyber-geek’ – what should I really care about?

What I’ve come to realize is that your average parent doesn’t necessarily understand, nor care about, all of the ‘techy’ language and technical details wrapped around the topics of technology, cybersecurity or, more generally, internet safety.  Well, this is an attempt to breakdown the walls of ‘cyber-tech’ talk and help parents understand some of the more common lingo and build a basic understanding of what we need to protect our families from.  After all, you really can’t protect your family from something until you at least have a fundamental understanding of the risks, right?

So, some of the basics. . .

A phone is lost or stolen! 

This one seems basic, and more physical than virtual in nature, but what happens if you lose your device?  Or, even worse. . . it’s stolen?  That precious piece of technology stores so much of our personal lives, right?  Think about this. . .  if your device is unlocked and accessible to someone besides you, it potentially exposes, not only what’s on your device (e.g. contacts, notes, calendar, files, etc.), but also provides direct access to a lot of your online services via apps (e.g. email, messaging, social media, online storage/dropbox, photos, audio and video recordings, etc.).  Read Creating (and juggling) way too many Passwords? and Mobile device privacy & security settings for some practical ways of protecting your devices.

Explicit or inappropriate content

Let’s face it, there’s a ton of stuff on the internet that we’d rather not expose our kids to.  Examples are simply sexual pictures and videos, explicit or disrespectful language and behavior, and/or other inappropriate content not ideal or suitable for a child’s age.  This is where things like web filters and, more broadly, parental controls, come in handy.  Read the section on Parental Controls within Mobile device privacy & security settings. a better understanding.  You can also find links to configuration guides here.

What the heck is Malware?  

First of all, the word malware is short for “malicious software”.  Think of it as an umbrella term for any type of bad, harmful software.  Malware is typically disguised as something legitimate or safe in hopes that you’ll download and install it, thus infecting your computer or device (ex. software or apps downloaded from websites or app stores, links you click that lead you to installing something, files you download or open from email or text, etc.).  Most devices today ask you before allowing software to be installed, so pay attention before you click “yes” to install.  You’ve probably also heard terms like trojans, viruses, worms, ransomware, and on and on. . . these are all ultimately included under the umbrella of Malware while all having different purposes or methods of spread.  Ex. Ransomware, once installed on your computer, will hold all of your files ransom (locked “encrypted” and unaccessible) until you agree to pay a fee.  TIP:  Stick to the more mainstream websites and app stores and be mindful of anything that you click or install.

“Phishing” for data 

Phishing is just one tactic commonly used (via electronic communications like email, text, etc.) to trick you into either installing malware (see above) or even giving up some of your personal information (ex. identity, passwords, credit card #, etc.).  The word is a play on “fishing” due to the nature of using bait in hopes to get a catch of value.  These can get really tricky because even the more tech savvy folks are looking at well-crafted (yet deceiving) emails 3 and 4 times before being able to determine whether they are real (and from someone we really know) or an attempt to trick us into clicking a link, opening a file or, ultimately, installing something.  TIP:  Look at sender email addresses for accurate, known contacts, inspect links embedded in emails closely before clicking, and look for unusual misspellings in text.  And, certainly do all of this before you open file attachments.

Don’t give up on your right to privacy

Exposing more personal info than what may be necessary can lead to many disruptive life events.  Think identity and/or financial theft, reputational damage, or even numerous forms of personal danger (ex. malicoius predators).  By this time, most of us have probably already experienced things like unwanted purchases on our credit cards (my card # was stolen from a pizza purchase recently).  However, it gets a bit more difficult when credit cards or loans are started using our name and Social Security # (identity theft).  Also, think before you start posting vacation or travel pics (publicly) on social media platforms while you’re still away from your home.  In fact, think before you post pictures, in general, as a picture really can tell a thousand words.  See Privacy: Pick Your Poison for a more in-depth discussion and set of guidance on this topic.

Didn’t your mom and ’em teach you better? 

The difference with the virtual (digital online) world from the physical is that there are little limitations by default; just about anything you can dream of is accessible and reachable; and from anywhere. . .  This means that, like the physical world, we still need to set boundaries and use virtual interactions and behaviors as, what I like to call, “teaching opportunities”.  Are we educating and monitoring our children’s use of the digital ecosystem?  Are we instilling the same manners, ‘etiquette’ and appropriate behavior in the virtual world as we do in the physical?  How do our children carry themselves on social media and messaging (avoiding popularity contests, cyberbullying, social depression); how are they interacting with ‘real’ friends vs. strangers (sharing personal info)?

Now that we’ve broken down some of the basic risks, defined commonly used ‘techy’ lingo and even threw in a little food for thought, you should be well on your way to taking the first steps in developing your family digital strategy.  Success starts with educating yourself and your family on the actual risks, but only works with an open and honest line of communication between all of the involved family members.  Also, don’t forget to think through your current tech gadgets and future purchases.  See Buy what you know or get to know what you buy! for more guidance.