In a digital era where cybercrime is a threat to both children and adults, it is critical that cybersecurity and privacy education be a mainstay in households. Sharing safety tips for cybersecurity is just as important as other safety measures. Whether it be between grandparents, parents, or kids, everyone should know how to keep valuable family data and devices locked down and secure.

Here are some tips to help grandparents and parents create a cyber secure household for their families:

Teach young ones that personal information has value, and should be protected.

Young technology users today are exposed to plenty of opportunities to give away their (and by default their family’s) personal data. Educating your grandchildren and children about the value of their personal information, and the importance of keeping it private will encourage a future generation that is privacy-minded!

It is important to take a moment to think before signing away their birthdays, or other personal information to companies that may have poor privacy standards. By taking a minute to think first, children can prevent themselves and their families from becoming exposed to cybercrime, data breaches, and scams.

Keep household devices clean and secured.

Keeping devices like the family computers or the shared iPads malware-free and up-to-date is an essential first step in maintaining a digitally secure household.

• Run virus and malware scans regularly in order to isolate infections before they become a threat
• Install an antivirus program like McAfee Total Protection that provides a 24/7 preventative defense. These can be used on your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer.
• Have a passcode on all your devices – this can protect against sensitive information being exposed in the event of device theft!

Beware of phishing scams and social engineering.

Phishing is an increasingly popular scam that primarily uses emails to obtain financial and identity information from recipients. Use our guide to phishing scams as a tutorial for the whole family on how to avoid becoming a victim of this dangerous form of fraud.

An even more common occurrence these days is the use of chat functions in online gaming to implement social engineering tactics that target young people and their family’s private data.

A recent study by McAfee showed that a staggering 62% of children play online games with chat functions, meaning that adults in the family must be aware of who their children are communicating with through these platforms, and what information they are sharing with strangers.

Use strong passwords.

Strong passwords mean secure accounts, and secure accounts keep your family’s information private. Check out our tricks for creating a strong password you can actually remember.

Stay educated on the latest in cybersecurity news and tools.

Last, but certainly not least, to ensure the children in your family are not taken advantage of and family privacy is maintained, stay on top of the latest developments in cybersecurity tools that can make your household a safe place for the whole family!

Keep an eye out for data breaches, news about companies that have poor cybersecurity practices, and new types of scams. Plus don’t forget to share what you find with your relatives and friends. You can start by sharing this article with other families!

Looking for other cybersecurity resources to share at the next family dinner? Check out the links below:

• https://www.stopthinkconnect.org/
• https://www.connectsafely.org/wp-content/uploads/securityguide.pdf
• https://www.dhs.gov/publication/stopthinkconnect-parent-and-educator-resources

And of course, always use the FixMeStick Blog to get the latest tips, tricks and cybersecurity news!