If the biggest threat for online security lives in your house, then what can you do? It is a fact that you are safe online as much as the weakest link using your computer, and for most people, that link is their child. Kids have a constant habit of downloading viruses by accident. They try to go around security measures in order to visit sites that you have banned for them. And what is most frustrating of all is the fact that they are usually far ahead of their parents, making them unable to keep up with them. Kids learn quickly and it is probable that half the children which are less than 18 years old will learn to breach the security system one way or the other. The costs for these breaches can be very high and they can come in the form of money, information or damaged computers.

Know where the risks are

Kids, which are 5 years old and 15 years old, pose a different kind of security risk. If you have a toddler, he or she might press some random keys and delete something by accident or rename your hard drive, while a fifth grader can download viruses and harmful programs. Finding a way to deal with your problem involves knowing all of the technology you have in your house and getting to know how your children use it. First, get to know which devices, machines and files your kids use while you are away, so that you can find out which things you need to secure. This doesn’t include only your children’s computers and tablets, but also your own phones and laptops.  Try not to forget about other devices that have an internet connection, such as consoles, e-book readers, etc. See what kinds of passwords your kids have made up and change them to more secure passwords if needed. Furthermore, there are thousands and thousands  of websites that do not have even the basic security plug-ins up so they might be putting users at risks. Keep up to date which websites your kids are visiting so you can know what content they provide and what information (if any) they ask in return.

Find out what your kids know

Figure out how skilled your kids are. Keep an eye on your children’s ability to get around the restrictions you have put in and, as they get older, try monitoring their ability to alter the settings. One way to do this is to approach your children with humor and curiosity and ask them nicely how they did something. It is more likely that they will give you a straight answer if you don’t yell and, in some cases, they will be proud to show you what they know. There is another way how you can check your children and this includes searching history. It is very important that you teach your children about online security – the sooner you discuss this, the better. Talk with your kids and see if they understand that the online world is much similar with the real world. Let them know that there are also bad people on the internet and that safety online is as important as in real life.

The costs can be severe

When it comes to online protection and security, ignorance is not a bliss. Malware and hackers are everywhere and their focus is not only on big corporations with a lot of money. These threats can affect anyone who uses the internet recklessly and this especially applies to children. Malware is bad software designed to infect someone’s computer and then exploit its weaknesses. It can steal information from your computer, destroy data, make your machine run slowly, etc. Installing quality antivirus software and updating it on a regular basis can be helpful, however, there is nothing that can secure a computer from reckless web browsing. A hacker can even hack into your online banking account and steal money from you, which can lead to severe consequences such as making you unable to pay debts. If your kid uses your work PC, you can lose valuable work data and this can ultimately lead to getting fired.

In these modern times, we do everything online and our laptops, computers and smartphones have managed to become a huge part of our personal and professional lives. This is why it is crucial that we have the best internet security possible. This also includes educating and controlling our children as best as we can.