Is My Child Safe Online? Common Cyber Threats And How To Avoid Them

Did you know that according to the FBI Internet Crime Center Report (2015-2020), cybercrime against children has risen by 144%, compared to 2019?

Unfortunately, cybercriminals don’t target large corporations only. It’s very common for kids to fall victim to cybercrime.

Children tend to overshare and disregard cybersafety, making them a prime target for cyber threats. Unethical hackers use kids’ naivety to breach sensitive data, install malware, or even steal money from your wallet.

In this article, we’ll investigate the most common cyber threats to your children and how you can prevent them.

The 5 most common cyber threats to kids

Of the many cyber threats, children are targeted and fall victim to certain methods. 

Here’s the list of the 5 most common ones.

#1. Cyberbullying

No other cyber threat against children has been more prominent than cyberbullying. Unfortunately, being bullied online leads to increased stress and anxiety, and low self esteem among kids.

A 2020 DQ Institute surveyed children aged 8 to 12, finding that 50% had experienced cyberbullying in some form. So if your kid is between 10 to 14 years old, they could’ve been bullied online at leasts once. 

To prevent cyberbullying, teach your kids the basics of cyber safety, restrict their social media and game time, and have a chat with your kids’ school about the ways you can cooperate to deal with the issue. 

The most important tip for parents is to stay alert and notice the problem before it gets out of their hand.

#2. Phishing

Millions of children use online learning tools and social media platforms every day. Since COVID-19 forced classrooms onto online platforms, phishing became even more widespread.

The most commonly used phishing tactics on kids are:

• Malicious links or websites that kids click on;
• Phishing emails;
• Text messages that contain a malicious link;
• Phishing over voice calls.

Children tend to have a trusting nature, which cyber criminals use for their goals. Show your kids some real-life examples of phishing emails or text messages and teach them to identify signs of someone trying to scam them.

Alternatively, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) can keep your data hidden from the prying eyes. Using a VPN may help you avoid being targeted by cybercriminals in the first place. There are various VPN providers suited to any need and budget to choose from.

#3. Credit card theft

You’ve probably heard stories of children spending thousands of their parents’ money on in-app purchases. Or did it ever happen to you too?

Don’t blame your kid just yet. What if they aren’t the ones racking up those bills? It is very common for thieves to target children and try to gain their parents’ credit card details.

Prevent this by teaching your kids not to share payment details with anyone online. Even better, make the purchases yourself and don’t add cards to your Apple Wallet on the devices that are often used by your kids.

#4. Outdated software hacking

Apps and games need updates. Kids rarely update their games, because hey, how many times did you press “Remind me later” when the new update request popped up?. 

However, outdated apps pose a significant risk.

When software grows old, hackers search for exploits and backdoors to insert malware. Once found, the location of these vulnerabilities travels all over the web. Fortunately, the news makes its way to the developers, who patch these vulnarabilities.

To avoid being hacked, you can either educate your kids on the importance of updates – or intall the latest patches yourself.

#5. Malicious games and apps

Seasoned hackers embed their malicious code in games and apps, often in third-party websites or app stores. They’re hidden within well-known apps or pretending to be a retro game that’s no longer available in a traditional store.

To avoid this threat altogether, only let your children download from big app stores like Google Play and the iTunes App Store. These stores regularly scan their catalogues to ensure you won’t download any nefarious software.

Conclusion

To keep your kids safe from increasing cyber-attacks, there are three key things you can do:

• Stay aware of their online activities;
• Teach them how to be safe on the internet;
• Keep your software updated.

By taking these steps, your kids will avoid major cyber threats, and enjoy surfing the web safely.