Digital life is an integral part of the modern family experience. Maintaining strong cyber hygiene is as important as teaching your kids to look both ways before crossing the street. Having early conversations with your children about internet and technology safety will help them develop a healthy understanding of the online world while encouraging them to be forthcoming about any issues that may arise as they explore what the internet has to offer.
What is Cyber Hygiene?
Cyber hygiene refers to the habits, routines, and tools that help individuals safeguard their devices, data, and identities online. Just like physical hygiene, developing good habits early and practicing them regularly is key to preventing problems in our ever-evolving connected world.
What Are the Steps to Building a Strong Digital Foundation?
Password Security and Multi-Factor Authentication
Strong passwords and multi-factor authentication are essential for protecting your family's data and identities. Passwords should be at least 12 characters long and include a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. Each account in your family should have a strong and unique password. Consider using a password manager such as Dashlane or 1Password to help keep your passwords organized and secure.
Keep Everything Updated
Enable automatic updates on all devices and applications to ensure your systems remain secure with the latest security patches. Remind your family not to ignore update notifications, as outdated software is a common target for hackers.
Develop Critical Thinking and Safe Clicking Habits
Critical thinking and safe clicking practices should be openly discussed so that the entire family understands the risks of phishing. Always think before clicking links or opening attachments, even if they appear legitimate. Over 90% of successful cyber-attacks begin with a phishing email. Teach everyone to be skeptical of free offers, unfamiliar links, or requests for personal information.
How Do I Protect My Children Online?
Privacy and Personal Information
Children should never share personal information such as their real name, address, phone number, school, or passwords online without parental approval. Have regular conversations about privacy on social media and how to keep accounts private. Review your children's friend lists often, helping them delete or block people they don't know in real life.
Supervision and Open Communication
To further protect your child's accounts, enable parental controls on devices and set content restrictions appropriate for their age. Computers and devices should be used in common areas to facilitate supervision and foster open discussions about online experiences. These conversations should be frequent and cover the potential risks of social media, cyberbullying, and interacting with strangers online.
Establish clear rules about what is appropriate to post and emphasize the permanence of online sharing. Most importantly, maintain an ongoing, supportive dialogue about digital safety. Encourage your children to report online bullying, scams, or anything that makes them uncomfortable. This openness will help them stay informed about new risks and trends that the family can continue to learn about together.
What Can I Do to Protect Everyone’s Digital Environment?
Home Network Protection
Secure your home network by using a strong password for your Wi-Fi and changing the default router credentials. Disable remote management and unnecessary features on routers whenever possible to reduce potential vulnerabilities.
Device Security
Equip all family devices with reputable antivirus software and keep it updated regularly. Additionally, use firewalls, with either hardware or software, to provide an additional safeguard against unauthorized access and threats.
Practicing good cyber hygiene keeps families safer and more confident online. Model these practices yourself, talk openly about digital safety, and adapt your approach to your children's changing needs as they grow. By establishing good habits early and keeping the conversation going, you empower your kids to navigate the digital world with security and resilience.
Remember, cyber hygiene is an ongoing practice, not a one-time effort. Stay informed about emerging threats and continue learning together as a family to maintain strong digital defenses in our increasingly connected world.