#CyberAware: The FBI Wants You to Restart Your Router

#CyberAware is a monthly family-friendly update from the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA). This month, we’re highlighting our top tips for Internet Safety Month, Facebook’s Youth portal designed for teen users and the latest cybersecurity news and events.

 

Resources from NCSA and Friends

• #CyberAware While On the Go: Tips for Mobile Devices
  June is linked in our minds with schools shutting their doors and families taking summer trips. It’s also Internet Safety Month, which is a great time to remind parents and kids to take steps to protect their mobile devices. Take a moment to review and implement NCSA’s top tips for keeping connected, on the go devices secure.
• Facebook Youth Portal: A new portal from Facebook, released on May 15, offers teens guidance on how to use the service and stay secure, while also providing information about how their data is used. Tips include “Think (for 5 seconds) before you speak,” “Don’t leave the door to your house open” and “Don’t give out personal information to someone you’ve just met”.

Online Safety in the News

• The FBI wants you to restart your router
  New York Times
  In order to stop the spread of a Russian-linked malware system that has infected hundreds of thousands of internet routers, the FBI wants you to restart your router: just turn it off and then back on again. The malicious software is capable of stealing the data passing through home and office networks and could be blocking web traffic.
• Teen-monitoring app TeenSafe leaks thousands of user IDs and passwords
  The Verge
  At least one server of TeenSafe – an app that allows parents to access their child’s internet search history, text messages, location and more – was left open, in plain text for anyone to access without a password. The information exposed included highly personal data such as passwords and user and Apple IDs. Reports indicate that approximately 10,200 accounts were compromised in the last three months.

Upcoming Events

• #ChatSTC Twitter Chat: Top Tips for a Fun, Cyber Safe Summer
  Thursday, June 14, 3 p.m. EDT/Noon PDT
  June doesn’t just mark the beginning of summer – it’s also Internet Safety Month! School’s out, connected devices are in! While the internet offers opportunities to learn, socialize and explore, it also comes with potential dangers. In this #ChatSTC we’ll share easy, actionable tips and advice you can use right now to keep yourself and the young people in your life safe online all summer long.