Tech Tips to Keep Loved Ones Safe and Secure

In today’s interconnected world, technology is deeply integrated into our daily routines, making it more crucial than ever to protect our family members from online dangers. With the growing dependence on gadgets and digital platforms for communication, entertainment, and home security the threats posed by cybercriminals and online predators have significantly increased.

Smart home devices like security cameras and voice assistants are now targets for hackers aiming to breach our private spaces. Breaches in these systems can result in the exposure of personal data, identity theft, and even risks to physical safety. What can you do to keep your loved ones safe?

Location Tracking and Emergency Preparedness

Knowing the whereabouts of children provides parents with peace of mind. With GPS technology integrated into smartphones and wearable devices, parents can receive real-time updates about their kids' location. This is especially reassuring when teens are out and about with friends or family.

Using secure and tested spyware apps can be a way for parents to monitor their children’s activities. These apps not only allow parents to track their children’s location, but also allow parents to view what websites their kids visit, what apps they use, and who they are communicating with. While this may come across as an invasion of privacy, ReadWrite’s Radek Zielinski says it's similar to parental controls and offers parents the opportunity to see what their children are consuming online.

Device Security

Prioritizing device security is crucial to protect your loved ones from various cyber threats, including data breaches and identity theft. Implementing strong security measures should include any device connected to the internet like your smartphone, tablet, and wearable devices.

• Create strong passwords: Creating and maintaining passwords is essential to safeguarding your devices and accounts against unauthorized access. Opt for intricate passwords that combine various characters, avoiding common words as they pose a greater challenge for hackers to decipher or hack. Refrain from using the same password across different accounts.
• Use a password manager: It is highly recommended to use a password manager to generate, store, and organize unique and complex passwords for all your accounts. These tools encrypt your passwords and provide secure access from any device.
• Use two-factor authentication: 2FA is one of the most common forms of security used by various industries including banks and gambling sites. It is a requirement in most cases, for instance, online casinos require users to use 2FA, to prevent hackers from breaching player accounts. 2FA enhances the security of your accounts by requiring a verification step, such as a code sent to your mobile phone along with entering your password. This additional layer of security makes it more challenging for threat actors to breach your accounts even if they have obtained your password.
• Keep device software updated: Keeping your devices and apps up to date with the latest security patches is critical in safeguarding against known vulnerabilities that hackers may exploit. Software updates frequently include security enhancements against the latest security threats.
• Use biometric authentication: Most modern devices offer security options such as fingerprint or facial recognition for locking and unlocking purposes. These features serve as secure alternatives, to traditional passcodes.
• Setting shorter auto-lock times: Adjusting your device to automatically lock after a period of idleness like 30 seconds or 1 minute, minimizes the chances of unauthorized access when you step away from it.

Use a VPN

Using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is one of the most secure ways to keep your loved ones safe when connecting to public Wi-Fi. By encrypting your internet traffic a VPN creates a connection between your device and the VPN server. This means that even if someone tries to snoop on your data over WiFi, all they'll see is jumbled information that’s unreadable keeping your sensitive data safe from prying eyes and cyber threats.

When you're connected to a VPN your actual IP address gets replaced with the IP address of the VPN server. This masking helps shield you from tracking and makes it tough for cybercriminals to track or target you based on your online behavior. Public WiFi networks are often vulnerable to attacks like man-in-the-middle (MITM) and fake hotspots. Using a VPN adds a layer of security by encrypting your data making it harder for attackers to spy on or tamper with your online activities.

By using a VPN you can keep your online browsing private. Prevent third parties, like ISPs and advertisers from monitoring what you do online. This becomes crucial when using public networks out with kids on their tablets in a public setting.

Securing Smart Home Technology

In 2019 Wyze, a known company specializing in smart cameras and home automation products faced a significant data breach linked to Amazon Web Services (AWS). Than 13,000 users found themselves receiving images from random homes due to a glitch in the system that jumbled up user data. During this incident, the personal details of around 2.4 million users were exposed because of an oversight that left a database accessible online. This specific case highlights the necessity for strong security measures, in smart home technology. With these devices becoming increasingly intertwined with routines the risks associated with potential breaches also escalate.

Securing smart home devices is crucial for keeping loved ones safe in an increasingly connected world. As smart home technology becomes more prevalent, the risks associated with cyber threats and unauthorized access to personal data grow.

Secure Your Wi-Fi Network

• Change default credentials: Default usernames and passwords of your router can easily be hacked. Change both the username and passwords on routers and smart home devices to strong, unique credentials.
• Guest networks: Set up a separate guest network for visitors to limit access to your primary network and connected devices.

Update Firmware Regularly

• Keep IoT devices updated: Regularly check for and install firmware updates for your smart devices. Manufacturers often release updates to fix vulnerabilities and enhance security features.

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