With Halloween just a week away, now is the perfect time to review ways to keep the monsters away from your network!
It’s important to stay on top of your school’s cybersecurity protocols throughout the year, or else you could find yourself being haunted by cyber thieves. Here are some of our favorite K-12 cybersecurity tips to help keep your data safe and secure from any ghouls who may be lurking on the web:
1) Don’t Click Links From Strangers
Opening links from unfamiliar sources can be just as risky as taking candy from a stranger.
Don’t let phishing scams trick you into providing passwords and other sensitive information. If you see an email link you’re not sure about, instead of clicking the link, try verifying the information first.
2) Protect Your Candy (and Your Data) With a Strong Password
A strong password is a must. It’s a good idea to create a new one every year and never re-use it again. You should also consider using mixed case letters, numbers, symbols and punctuation when creating your password. And use different passwords for different accounts!
3) Chase Away Monsters Lurking Online
Be careful using public WiFi – while it might seem harmless to use a public network, you’re actually putting yourself at risk. If you must use public network, be sure to connect through a VPN, or else you can be tracked by anyone on the same network.
4) Find a Costume for Your Personal Information
Sending personal information online without encryption is just like trick-or-treating without a costume – it just shouldn’t be done. Whenever possible, use a secure https site on your mobile device rather than an app to help keep your information safe. If you need to provide any personal information while browsing the web on your phone, try to use a secure https site rather than an app.
5) Don’t Leave a Candy Trail
It’s tempting to post a pic of your costume or creepy sightings on social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. But just be sure to turn off location tracking that lets cybercriminals know where you are and when you’re away.
In Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed our quick rundown of cybersecurity tips. Halloween may be scary, but technology doesn’t have to be. If you have any questions about cybersecurity, feel free to contact us. In the meantime, be sure to check out Guide to Cybersecurity for K-12 Schools.