News

Students of all ages, from kindergarten to college, rely on personal and school-issued devices for their studies. Access to the internet makes it easy to find new information and learn, but it can also make students and parents vulnerable to cybercriminals who want to access sensitive information.

Don’t fall victim to cybercrime this school season. Study up on these cyber security tips:

• Use strong, unique passwords and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA). Create strong passwords using a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols and enable MFA whenever possible for an extra layer of security. Remember to never use the same password across multiple sites.
• Learn the signs of a phishing scam. Talk to your student about phishing scams and how to identify them. Remind them to never click on suspicious links or provide personal information to unknown sources.
• Update software regularly. Ensure that all devices used for schoolwork have the latest software updates and security patches installed to protect against vulnerabilities.
• Only access trusted, secure Wi-Fi networks. Home networks should be password-protected. Consider using a virtual private network (VPN) when accessing public Wi-Fi.
• Limit personal information sharing, especially on social media. Talk to your children about keeping sensitive information private, such as their home address, phone number or school name. In the wrong hands, this information could be used for nefarious purposes, including accessing their online accounts.

Students, parents and educators can find additional resources for staying cyber safe, including games and videos, on our Cyber Awareness webpage.