Ravi Dhungel

The solar winds vulnerability exposed in December of 2020 shows the challenges and complexity of securing the software systems. Microsoft acknowledging the fact that their source codes were viewed is even more disturbing. The challenge to manage the supply chain in software systems and secure patches and builds in the applications are common denominators in cyber security. The impact of COVID-19 and the increase in remote learning, the digital data of students are stored in many learning management systems. The omnipresent of digital learning and gaming systems in the post COVID-19 increases the attack surface. Safeguarding the kids' privacy and data security is a daunting task for educators, parents and technology providers.

Vulnerable to threats
Children are even more vulnerable to cyber threats. In the post COVID-19 era, kids are spending more time inside the house in mobile devices. Kids are using all types of electronic devices to play games and remote learning. Few strategies and best practices that help keep your kids safe on the internet are described below.
While society moves to consume digital technologies at an unprecedented rate, basic training in cyber security and privacy is needed to all. Parents and guardians should considering providing basic training on computer hygiene, data security, roles and responsibilities, and physical security to their children. The training should be similar to onboarding of new employees and refreshed yearly or bi-yearly. Basics on cyber security should be taught to all the citizens.
Policymakers and legislative bodies need to influence and educate your public policy experts and politicians to bring the new policy for child security on the internet. Engage and educate your public policy experts to bring the new policy for children security on the internet. The United States has policies such as FERPA (family educational rights and privacy act) and COPPA (children online privacy protection Act) to protect the privacy of children and students.
Law enforcement agencies have a vital role to play in strengthening cyber security. This is one of the most challenging jobs. Safeguarding the privacy of the individual under cybercrime investigation is even more challenging. Law enforcement agencies should protect the privacy of children during the investigation of any cybercrime incidents. They should be able to weigh the challenges on national security as there are no rules of engagement in cyber security.
It is the responsibility of the schools and higher education institutes to provide the education and training of cyber security and privacy to the students, parents and educators.
Instructional and educational technologies providers need to ensure that technology providers have all knots and bolts of cyber security controls in the system. It's the responsibility of software vendors to educate schools administrators and teachers on the cyber security best practices on their applications. Children are easily frightened and impressionable. Certain activities are illegal for children on the internet and real world. Parents can make decisions for children.
Criminal law bars on producing and possession of sexual abuse material. Internet is open, without appropriate technical and administrative controls of the internet. It is very difficult to control the access of the contents in the internet. Regularly educate your kids on internet security, cyber threats, and cyberbullying.
Cyberbullying is the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature. Children may be reluctant to admit to being the victims of cyberbullying. The access of the internet should be scheduled and closely monitored by parents. Allowing the apps that are well vetted on safety, security and usage is important before downloading arbitrary apps from the internet. Internet and online habits have real life consequences. Children need to acknowledge that online actions lead to real-life consequences.
Ask your kids about different sites they visit, listen passionately, pretend you don't know, and learn from them. Teach your kids the consequences of sharing age, location and other things to strangers on the internet. Educate not to share that information to someone on the internet and publish on the internet.
It is necessary to apply the patches of the software of routers, computers, mobiles and other digital devices. New patches provide security for the devices. Use antivirus software in the computers and maintain cyber hygiene.

Multiple passwords
Recommend your kids to use multiple passwords for applications. If possible, use multi factor authentications such as SMS, phone calls or 2FA apps. Advise your kids not to use public wifi to browse the internet. The bad guys are waiting in the public space. Phishing is the most common and widely used cyber security challenge. Children should be taught about phishing emails and how they can recognise and avoid those emails.
If you are not using any kids account, close the account permanently. Be permissive on privacy settings that are available on most systems. Don’t hesitate to call the software providers for privacy and data security of your kids. Computers are not reliable, so are the internet and network connectivity. Computers may get lost. Malware and ransomware can corrupt the data and ask for ransom. Teach your kids on how to back up the data or files so that kids don’t freak out if something gets deleted.

(Dhungel is a global cyber security practitioner based in the USA. He is the Chief Information Security Officer at www.esrtech.io. ravi@esrtech.io.)