Maybe You’re Secure Online, But Are Your Kids?

The top 6 ways cyber criminals target your kids and what you can do to protect them

Rubica protected devices

Digital security is something that is often talked about as it relates to adults or businesses. However, cyber criminals do not have a problem targeting another group:your kids. A recent study by the Pew Research Center states that about 95% of teens have access to a smartphone. And 45% state they’re online ‘almost constantly.’ With these kind of staggering stats, it is clear that cybersecurity, as it pertains to kids, is something that needs to be a proactive measure.

When you consider the attack surface related to kids, the ways that they are attacked is no different than adults: smartphones, computers, social media, e-mail, and wearables. We’ll share ways your kids are at risk and then how you can protect them.

Ways your kids are at risk:

1. Mobile apps & games

Kids of all ages play mobile games and use mobile apps –often even on their parents phones or tablets. Be cautious of free games and apps. Many include aggressive advertising (including gambling and dating site ads) and include links to download other games that could contain malware that can infect your devices. Some apps even gain access to the microphone, camera, or can automatically download unwanted items to your device without your knowledge. It may be worth paying more for apps with no ads. At a minimum, teach your kids not to click on ads and about protecting themselves with privacy settings. [Stay tuned for a study on kids apps we’ll be publishing soon].

2. Social media

Social media sites are a great way to stay connected, but can also make private data public or expose your children to cyber-bullying. These sites also have incredible reach, so if kids aren’t careful with privacy settings, it can be easily accessed by cyber criminals. Facebook experienced a data breach that exposed information for about 50 million accounts and it is unclear whether or not attackers also gained access to Instagram accounts — Instagram is reportedly used by 72% of teens each day.

3. Websites

Websites sometimes ask for personal identifying information like birthdate, middle name, address or even family details. This could be used not only to steal their digital identity, but also yours. A fashion social website for teens, i-Dressup, experienced a data breach that exposed information about children, including information about children under the age of 13.

4. Identity theft

Kids are just as at risk as you are to experience identity theft. According to Javelin Strategy & Research, in 2017 more than 1 million children were involved in some type of identity theft or fraud.

5. Smart devices

There is no regulation around smart devices. Unfortunately, when products are new to market, security is often the last thing device makers prioritize. A popular smartwatch by MiSafe was recently discovered to be vulnerable to hacking, which could allow an attacker to track the movements of a child and/or listen to conversations. Other smart devices have given away location data through breaches. Do you want cyber criminals knowing your child’s location?

6. Public Wi-Fi

The more kids rely on computers and smartphones to access digital content, the more tempted they are to access public Wi-Fi in hopes of preserving cell data or getting faster browsing or downloading speeds. The problem with accessing public Wi-Fi is that malicious attackers can set up rogue Networks (e.g. a duplicate Network at Starbucks named “Starbucks Wi-Fi”).These Networks can allow attackers to monitor your traffic and potentially intercept any credentials you type into apps or websites (e.g. e-mail, social media, or banking accounts).

How to protect your kids online

These examples outline various ways that children can be affected by cybercrime. That said, here are some tips you can follow to protect your children from cybercrime:

Secure your kids digital accounts:

• Use strong passwords and never reuse passwords. Use passwords with at least 14 characters, has upper case and lowercase letters, numbers, and at least one special character. Another option is to use a password manager like LastPass or Dashlane. The problem with using simple passwords such as 123456 or password, is that malicious attackers know that people like to use memorable passwords. This gives them the opportunity to easily guess your password and gain access to your online accounts.
• Enable Multi-factor Authentication on all online accounts. Two Factor Auth provides a great site with instructions on adding MFA to many popular websites and social media services. That way even if a cybercriminal has your password, if you have MFA enabled on your accounts, they can’t get in without that second form of authentication. You can’t rely on just a strong password.
• Monitor private settings. Secure digital accounts (particularly social media accounts) by ensuring privacy settings are set correctly and linked 3rd party apps are kept to a minimum.

Protect your kids network:

• Use Rubica, a safe VPN, to secure your kids Wi-Fi connections. Rubica provides a secure and trustworthy connection through an encrypted channel between your devices and websites they visit using Virtual Private Network(VPN) technology. We hide their real IP address to anonymize their devices so it’s difficult for their online activities to be tracked or for their accounts to be hacked. Rubica also has built-in advanced threat protection to automatically protect their device and Internet browsing from threats.

Protect your child’s identity:

• Freeze your child’s credit. It’s free to do as of 9/21/18. This will help ensure cybercriminals aren’t stealing their identity, which can create massive problems once they turn 18 and apply for credit.

Educate your kids:

• Teach them about the security risks that come with geolocation. Remind children that they should be very cautious with sharing their location with people on social media for their own physical safety.
• Teach your kids not to click on ads or suspicious links. Discuss the various types of malware that can infect their computer/smartphone so your children know how to keep their devices safe.

Get Rubica — the strongest layer of protection:

• Installing Rubica on all your kids devices will be the most efficient approach you can take in securing your family’s digital life and devices. Any device (even when connected to public Wi-Fi) will be protected from phishing and malicious sites, malicious pop-ups and downloads, malware and device infection, man-in-the-middle attacks and Internet traffic interception while using Rubica. Rubica protects your family’s devices 24/7 from any location with both technical tools and a human cyber analyst team on the frontlines.

Technology is a great way for children to learn and stay connected with family and friends. Although the cyber landscape can and does target children, the aforementioned tips can help ensure your children are safe while using their digital devices. For an additional layer of security, Rubica can protect your children’s devices from insecure connections, known phishing links, and known malware.