Useful IT tips for Parents

 

    Privacy – Be wary of what you share

    Actions:

  • Stop and think before you provide any photos or financial or personal information about yourself, your friends or your family.

     
    Passphrases – Create strong passphrases to be secure

    Actions:

  • Use strong, hard-to–guess passphrases and enable two-factor authentication where available to access your accounts.

     
    Suspicious Messaging – Treat any unexpected message with caution

    Actions:

  • When you receive an email, consider who is emailing you and what they are asking you to do. If you are unsure, call the business a suspect message claims to be form using details
    obtained from a website or other legitimate source.

     
    Surfing Safely – Avoid malware- (Keep to trusted websites)

    Actions:

  • Minimise visits to unknown websites and avoid being enticed by the promise of sensational content through ‘clickbait’.Look for the padlock symbol and ‘https’ in the browser address bar when visiting sites.

     
    Online Finances and Payments – Keep financial details from prying eyes

    Actions:

  • Access your bank’s website by typing the address directly into your browser.
  • Keep your computer up-to-date with anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall software.
  • Use the security measures (such as two-factor authentication) recommended by your bank.
  • Always log out of the internet banking menu and close your browser when you have completed a session.
  • Research for unknown retailers and their products and services.
  • Deal primarily with trusted and reliable online retailers.
  • Tablets and Mobiles – Stay secure while on the move

     
    Tablets and Mobiles – Stay secure while on the move

    Actions:

  • Turn on the security features of the device.
  • Set a password/phrase or pin that must be entered to unlock the device.
  • Install reputable security software.
  • Read the user manual.
  • Use the most up-to-date operating systems.

     
    Backups and Protection – back up and update for safety

    Actions:

  • Regularly update applications (including anti-virus software and plugins) and operating systems to fix these vulnerabilities. Most vendors make automatic updates available.
  • Back up your data regularly and retain the backup in a safe location, preferably protected or isolated from the device the data is being backed up from.
     
    You can:

  • Perform your own backup to a storage device such as a USB or external hard drive.
  • Back up regularly or set to do so automatically.
  • Back up to an online (cloud) service.

     

    Ravi Bheemul
    Network Administrator – MSHS