As the back-to-school season nears, it's time to make sure those younger members of your family are up to date with all the latest hardware - but also with the right knowledge.
Staying safe online today can be a challenge, but taking the time to educate your children on proper safety and protection can be incredibly useful.
So although the summer may be drawing to a close, that's no reason to be letting your guard down when it comes to security - here's some of the main threats to watch out for.
Social media safety
If you're heading off to a new school or university, you'll no doubt be keen to make new friends and stay connected online. However social media can also pose a security risk if you don't take the proper care. Posting details such as the specific school, college or university you attend, or geotagging where you live could put you or your child at risk of unwanted online attention and even identity theft.
It's best to sometimes keep some personal information secret - particularly that concerning full names, addresses and passwords. Make sure you aren't giving away too much online, whether that's in social media posts, or even your handles, and keep your profiles private to make sure they only appear to the people you want them to.
For that extra security boost, McAfee Total Protection offers personalised protection for each member of the family, with comprehensive privacy tools and identity safety features that can monitor up to 60 unique types of personal information. And if you need a bit more control, it also offers parental controls* that can help protect your kids from inappropriate online content, manage their screen time and even get location-based alerts.
Public Wi-Fi
New schools or universities mean plenty of new locations, whether it's a dorm, common room, cafeteria, lecture halls or anywhere else on campus. No doubt you'll be keen to stay connected whilst exploring and learning, but making sure you're staying safe while doing so can be tricky.
Unsecured Wi-Fi networks have become a growing concern over the past few years as our need to stay online when on the move is increasingly targeted by criminals or hackers. While password-protected local networks should be relatively safe, logging on to a public Wi-Fi network that doesn't require a password and is shared with thousands of others can be a risk.
Connecting to a VPN is one way to ensure you stay safe, and McAfee Total Protection offers a Secure VPN access that protects your personal data and location from prying eyes, and turns on automatically when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks, meaning you can connect without worrying.
Cyberbullying
Sadly, the online world isn't always positive, and cyberbullying is an increasing concern for children of all ages, as well as their parents. Such actions can seriously affect children's mental well-being, particularly if it begins to ramp up, and it can seem like there is no escape.
It's important to remind younger internet users that they are allowed to feel safe when online, and they should report any interactions that make them feel uncomfortable or in danger to the right authorities, whether that’s a teacher, a guidance counsellor, or a family member.
McAfee Total Protection can allow parents to set up device controls to manage screen time, as well as customizable controls* that can help protect children from inappropriate online content and social media blocks, to make sure everyone gets a break.
Phishing
Although it has been around for some time, phishing remains an annoyingly prevalent threat to online users of all ages.
Hackers look to trick phishing victims into handing over personal information or financial details by using legitimate-looking emails often crafted using real branding and imagery to fool users into clicking on links that are definitely not what they seem.
While typically based on companies or businesses, phishing scams can also spoof individuals in positions of authority, such as teachers, principals or lecturers, to create enticing emails that could easily fool those eager to stay on their good side.
Asides from taking extra care to check that emails are sent from who they claim to be, phishing emails can often be spotted by spelling or grammar mistakes, or require an "urgent" response. And if the worst happens, McAfee Total Protection features a comprehensive antivirus package to protect against the latest threats.
ChatGPT
This year's technology headlines have been dominated by AI-powered models, such as ChatGPT, which have promised to revolutionise everything from cinema to sports.
However there is a more concerning side to AI writing, with fake news spreaders or propagandists using these platforms to create huge amounts of articles, deepfakes or AI art to try and back up sensationalist claims or conspiracy theories.
It's important for children and students to challenge what they see online, and feel like they can be sceptical of anything that doesn't look right. Make sure your children know the importance of doing their research, and not spreading fake news or outlandish claims - instead sticking to recognised news sources.
So if you're in need of a security boost, McAfee Total Protection could be the back-to-school partner you can't go without. McAfee Total Protection is available for up to 12 devices, so the whole family can stay safe thanks to its all-in-one online protection - find out more here.
*Parental control features available for Windows and iOS only
