By Scott McCoy
Are you as sick of politics as I am this election season?
Yeah, I thought so.
So, I’m going to talk about something other than politics in this forum. Since it’s back-to-school time, I’m going to share the security risks that most parents don’t think about when it comes to technology.
Technology is a major part of our lives these days. We all have a cellular phone, maybe a tablet or laptop.
We all keep some very sensitive information on our technology that could pose a major risk if hacked.
Your student’s cellular phone contains direct access to your home wi-fi. Access to your home network brings risks for all of your devices. If your student loses their phone, someone could use it to breach your home network and get sensitive information.
Your student might keep sensitive information on their device, such as a vehicle’s unlock code, their banking information, passwords, your home address, and more.
And what about information about your student that is automatically stored on their devices?
Your phone contains your current location, previous locations, their browser search history, and even their shopping history.
With this information, someone could learn what locations your student frequents, their shopping history, and their daily activity.
Someone can easily learn who your student is friends with and perhaps sensitive information about those individuals.
The fact is that our lives are on our devices.
But we can’t just stop using technology. So, there are some important steps everyone should take to protect their students and themselves.
First, it’s vital to password protect your devices.
Use a password or passcode that isn’t easy to figure out. Don’t use your birthday, or your phone number, or your pet’s name. You need a strong password that is not connected to your life.
If you have a smart-watch, this can provide a second layer of security. You can setup your device to unlock only when the password is entered AND the device is near your smart-watch.
Second, don’t store sensitive information on devices that isn’t encrypted and password protected.
If someone accesses your device, you still want your sensitive information protected behind another password that is different than your device’s access password.
This is important because you access your devices all the time. If you leave it on a desk for a moment while it’s unlocked, it’s open to anyone.
More importantly, if your student is accessing the school’s wi-fi, then the device is open and connected to others on the network. This makes it more easily accessible to hackers.
Take steps now to protect your data before school begins. And make sure your student understands the risks and how important it is to protect their devices and data.
