Online and virtual learning-Are we secure enough?
Cyber Security — Learning Arena
Online tutoring is growing fast. More money is being put into the industry, more tutors are here to adopt online as an avenue to educate from across the country and the entire globe, and more learners are using online tutors. In the US, online tutoring is approximately a $132 million market and it is here to expand, continuing to grow at an annual rate of around 6%.
The digital natives — people born into a civilization that’s already adopted digital equipment — crowd our schools. They want, and tutoring platforms want them, to learn in a way that finely allows them to move forward their potential as strong, informed, contributing part of an ever-changing modern society. However, there are a plethora of roadblocks that prevent faster adoption rates of online studies and even more fast growth of the industry as a sum total, than we’re already seeing.
The internet is a fun and exciting space for opportunity, education, knowledge, and entertainment. Our kids are continually chatting online and posting videos and photos of their daily lives, while their friends like, share, comment and repost. But as we smile for the pictures our kids take, we mask our concern for their safety in the cyberworld. Under the guise of allowing our kids their social freedom, we do not outwardly express the risks we fear our kids may take and the dangers they face amongst the strangers online. But is this right? Should we live in constant worry and fear and let our kids stay ignorant and unaware? Lead them on under the impression that all is well while harboring great concern for their safety?
In a series of articles, we delve into a variety of topics on how to ensure our children stay safe online. From a parent’s perspective, we discuss how to raise awareness with our kids, so they are safely browsing the web even without us looking over their shoulders. As parents, it is our job to provide our kids with knowledge about cybersecurity jargon and recognizable signs of identity theft and cyberbullying. We must ensure that they are aware of the consequences of acting recklessly on social media and teach them about the boundaries to set when using these platforms.
Whether it’s browsing restrictions, identifying hackers, net etiquette or ‘netiquette’, or something as simple as setting strong passwords, we as parents should be having these conversations with our kids, so they are as aware of cybersecurity as we are. We must seek to explore the spectrum of cyber risks we need to educate ourselves and our kids with, to ensure not only their enjoyment but their ultimate safety as well!
What’s stopping us?
Security in online learning refers to strong defense from malicious or unintentional misuse of resources in online learning and protecting our children from possible online predators.
Even though cloud-based applications for teamwork and video conferencing software have come a very long way lately, technical issues still seem to hinder the online tutoring market.
Those tutors recurrently offering online classes said that they resolve tech problems by having some kind of backup arrangements, while offline-only tutors cited having an unreliable connection or a lack of entrance to tools as their main technological concerns.
Unfortunately, we would be lying if we told you we didn’t see technical errors from time to time while online. There are problems that keep coming up and we won’t deny that fact. However, the few technical errors that take place can be easily addressed.
What is Cyber Security?
Let’s examine the two terms ‘cyber’ and ‘security’.
Cyber has to do with technology or computers. Security has to do with not having to worry about being in danger. For example, a security system for a home would give the owners some amount of comfort in knowing that they are protected because they have an alarm in place.
Cyber Security, therefore, is a defense that is in place to protect computer systems from danger. This protection does not apply to just computers, but to anything that can be said to operate using some sort of computer system. These systems are protected from cyber-attacks such as viruses and malware.
How does Cyber Security work?
There are several categories into which Cyber Security can be divided. They are essentially categorized according to the specific function or purpose they serve. There are six popular categories.
Network security prevents attackers from invading a computer network. Information security keeps information protected and private. Application security sees to it that software is not in danger of being attacked. Operational Security involved working out the procedures that are to be used when handling data. Companies often have to use this as they handle a lot of data each day. Public Education Security makes people aware of the things they need to do to ensure that they remain secure in their cyber interaction. A straightforward lesson is how USB drives are used carelessly and may transfer viruses. Recovery Security is what has to be done after an attack. This is where the virus or malware has been successful, and the victim now has to go about recovering data that may have been lost. This still has to be done in a way where the situation is not made worse. This still has to be done in a cyber-secure manner.
What do you want your children to know about Cybersecurity?
First of all, help your children understand that they play a part in ensuring their security while navigating cyberspace. What they need to know is that no cybercriminal can access their computer or device without their assistance in some way. There has to be someone who clicks on the site and accidentally downloads what turns out to be malware. If your children are innocent victims, they need to know that all is not lost.
There are cybersecurity programs that protect computer systems from any attack. These programs are tasked with continually scanning and removing any malware detected. They are regularly upgraded as cybercriminals are daily coming up with newer and more innovative means of compromising computer systems. You and your child must examine the options that are available for any computer or device being used.
From time to time, there may be messages that come in which speak about upgrades to the operating system. Teach your children not to ignore these messages as there will always be new security features built-in that will help to protect the computer or device in use.
They also need to understand the importance of anti-virus and there are endless options on the market, and you can both explore them until you find one that you think suits your needs.
Encourage your children to strengthen their passwords. Too often, they use something that is easily hacked like names, date of birth, catchphrases, etc. They need to make their passwords secure. If they believe they will not remember, they can write it down or find other ways of capturing the information somewhere.
Your children always want to be online, whether or not they have data when they are on the go. In so doing, they may search for wireless networks in restaurants, malls, or any public place. Most of the time, there will be a notice that pops up saying ‘un-secure network’. They think nothing of using it just the same. But as discussed above, cybercriminals can intercept information over unsecured networks. Encourage them not to be tempted to log on. Let them know that anything so urgent that they could not wait to use a secure and trusted network, or put personal data on their device, is not worth the hassle they will encounter because of a cyber-criminal.
Ultimately, your children need to understand that you are not trying to limit their fun online; you simply want them to be protected as they browse.
Remember…
Your cybersecurity cannot sleep: cybercriminals do not.
Cyberspace is one place where there is never too much security.
Originally published at https://www.learningarena.xyz on December 24, 2020.
