The cyber security tips that you and your children need to know

SHARING screen time with your child can be a wonderful opportunity to promote online safety in a fun and engaging way.

With this in mind, a free online cyber security workshop, open to children aged from eight to 12, together with an accompanying adult, will take place during the mid-term break on November 1 and 3.

The initiative will be brought to young people across the country by Cyber Skills, Ireland’s leading experts in cyber security education, and SMART Edu Club, a start-up based in Cork. Children and adults participating in the online workshop will explore issues of internet safety and online behaviour.

Funded by Science Foundation Ireland’s Discover grant, the two-day event will fully engage young people and adults alike in creating secret messages, solving riddles, investigating mysteries, and helping heroes save the day using data encryption, decryption and code breaking techniques. No previous knowledge or experience is required from participants to fully enjoy the experience.

The workshop programme was developed by SMART Edu Club, founded in Cork by Marinara Marcato, a PhD Candidate at Tyndall National Institute/UCC and IGNITE Incubator participant. Smart Edu Club’s mission is to inspire and educate the next generation by creating fun learning experiences.

Speaking about the workshop, Marinara said: “I am confident that our programme brings together relevant information in a very accessible, practical and diverse way. We believe in igniting children’s curiosity, empowering them with knowledge and ing them along the way to develop new skills. 

"That is why we incorporate a diverse range of elements in our programmes including hands-on activities, engaging stories, group challenges and more.”

The collaboration leverages the cyber security knowledge of Cyber Skills’ course lecturers and the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education expertise of the SMART Edu Club team, while funding from Science Foundation Ireland means that cyber security courses can reach more groups.

Professor Donna O’Shea, Chair of Cyber Security at MTU and Project Lead at Cyber Skills, said: “Cyber Skills Education and Public Engagement programme is committed to a range of activities that improves the cyber resilience of all our citizens.

“We are delighted to partner with SMART Edu Club in developing a programme of new activities focussed on educating our youngest and most vulnerable citizens, our children, on the importance of good cyber hygiene practices.”

Many parents would agree that the online activity and safety of their children can raise concerns. Staying well informed on internet safety issues and talking to your child about their online behaviour can alleviate some of those concerns.

Dr Aoife Long, Cyber Skills Education and Public Engagement Manager, Munster Technological University (MTU), recommends the Cybersafe Kids website cybersafekids.ie to parents: “I would advise looking at this website as they have excellent resources and can also arrange talks for guardians.”

Internet activity has become an integral part of daily life, work and socialising. With most of us spending more time than ever before online, internet safety is not only of concern for younger people, but for s of all ages.

Dr George O’ Mahony, Lecturer Researcher in Cyber Skills at MTU, provides these general safety tips:

• Keep software up to date
• Avoid public wi-fi networks
• Check your digital footprint online - Google yourself, etc.
• Limit the Information you share and who you share it with
• Don’t believe everything you see and hear online
• Think before you cick!
• Always be very suspicious of emails, phone calls, messages and flyers
• Bottom line – Don’t open email from people you don’t know
• Know which links are safe and which are not – hover over a link to discover where it directs to
• Be suspicious of the emails sent to you in general – look and see where they came from and if there are grammatical errors

Dr O’ Mahony suggests that malicious links can come from friends who have been infected too and advises caution even with correspondence from those known to us. He would recommend using anti-virus protection and firewall.

He said: “Lock your devices and don’t use default s and names. Use strong s and a port management tool. In of mobile phone safety, create a difficult mobile code, not a birthdate or bank pin. Protect your Sensitive Personal Identifiable Information (PII) and be very cautious about the information you include online. 

"It is recommended only to show the very minimum about yourself on social media. Consider reviewing your privacy settings across all your social media s.”

While caution and care will always need to be a factor in our online activity, SMART Edu Club’s workshop promises to be an exciting and enjoyable way for children and adults to learn more about cyber safety and online behaviour together.

The two-day event will be instructed by Mariana Marcato and Ray Conlin and offers a choice of morning or afternoon participation. For further details and to book your place, go to smarteduclub.com