As technology evolves, so does the necessity for a deeper understanding of cybersecurity best practices. With virtual learning at an all-time high, students and teachers from kindergarten to college must learn to protect themselves online. Not only is cybersecurity important for school-aged children and young adults, but for older adults as well. The FTC has found that older adults are more likely than younger consumers to report losing money on tech support scams, prize, sweepstakes & lottery scams, and family & friend impersonation. Below are the top three tips for k-12 students, college students, and older adults to ward off cybercriminals.

K-12 Students

• If the school issues or requires technology that you and/or your child are not familiar with, explore its features together. Configure the security and privacy settings together immediately.
• Need to do research for your lessons? Talk to your librarian, teacher, or parent about where you can go for safe and accurate websites for research. You can also talk to your local public library.
• Passwords are the keys to your accounts. The only people who need to know them are YOU and your parents or guardians. Not your brother, sister, best friend, or teacher – just you. Make a password in the form of a sentence you can remember, such as: “ILiket0EatIceCream0n$undays!”

College Students & Faculty

• Whether you are teaching or learning in a new platform, take a moment to explore the privacy and security settings to limit disruptions and improve the experience. For example, create passwords so only those invited to the session can attend. Another example would be to restrict who can share their screen or files with the rest of the group. If you need help, reach out to your school’s IT & security team or instructional design team for help.
• If you’re using a shared workspace, be conscious of clearing it of sensitive, nonpublic information, especially if you have to step away. Also, avoid printing out sensitive information at home or in public spaces if it’s not necessary. In addition, if you are listening in on or participating in meetings that could be considered sensitive or in which you share nonpublic information, be sure to put on headphones.
• Double down on your account security with multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA adds a second check to verify your identity when logging in to one of your accounts. This helps to keep your account from being compromised even if your password falls into the wrong hands.

Seniors & Older Adults

• Be suspicious of emails, text messages, or phone calls that create a sense of urgency and require you to respond to a crisis or give sensitive information, such as your credit card number or bank account information. Don’t respond immediately. Hang up or walk away from the computer and contact a trusted source to verify the legitimacy of the request.
• Be cautious about how much personal information you provide on social networking sites. The more information you post, the easier it may be for a hacker or someone else to use that information to steal your identity, access your data or commit other crimes such as stalking. Just because a website asks you for your address, photo, or mother’s maiden name, doesn’t mean you actually have to answer honestly.
• Adults of all ages need to be wary of strangers and those appearing to be your friends or loved ones online. It is too easy for criminals to hide their true identity and appear trustworthy. If someone asks to be your friend on a social media platform, only accept their request if you know them. If someone online asks you for money or sensitive information, pick up the phone and call a trusted number. Dating online? Don’t send money or sensitive financial or personal information to anyone you have never met.