#CyberAware is a monthly family-friendly update from the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA).

This month, we’re sharing tips for catching and preventing child identity theft, advice for keeping older adults safer online and how to update the privacy settings on some common household devices and services.

Resources from NCSA and Friends

• Online Safety Tips for Older Adults: Going online offers many opportunities for you to keep learning, connect with friends and family and play games. Just as you fasten your seat belt before driving, take precautions before using the internet to be sure you are safe and secure.

Online Safety in the News

• The Supreme Court has ruled that police need warrants to obtain phone location data as evidence for trials. The ruling stems from a 2011 Detroit robbery case in which months of location data was collected from Timothy Carpenter’s phone provider. In total, law enforcement obtained 12,898 different locations from Carpenter’s phone during the period of 127 days.
• When was the last time you updated the privacy settings on the services you and your family use? Much of the time, you can opt out of data collecting features – you just have to know where to find them. From LinkedIn and Twitter to televisions and cellphone services, tech columnist Geoffery Fowler outlines how you can give your privacy preferences an update.
• A Facebook bug that affected 14 million users between May 18 and May 22 changed their account settings so that the posts they made – even if their updates were set to “private” – were visible publicly. If you were one of the 14 million impacted by this bug, you should have been notified upon logging in, but it’s best to check any posts you made during this period of time.

Recent Blogs

• Unfortunately, a child’s personal information is particularly vulnerable to criminals looking to steal an identity, usually beginning with a stolen Social Security number. A child’s Social Security number is particularly attractive since there is little to no history, allowing an identity thief to exploit their information, often going unnoticed for many years. Special experts for STOP. THINK. CONNECT.™ offer tips and advice for keeping your child’s identity safe.
• The summer travel season is upon us, and that means many people will connect to public Wi-Fi hotspots at airports, hotels, cafes, restaurants, bus stops and more. Unfortunately, public networks have become honeypots for hackers who use them to infiltrate connected devices. Here’s how to keep your devices and personal information safe while traveling.

Upcoming Events

#ChatSTC Twitter Chat: Tips for Avoiding a Summer of Scams
Thursday, July 12, 3 p.m. EDT/Noon PDT
The heat isn’t the only thing that increases during summer months – it’s also prime time for seasonal scams such as fake vacation rentals and phony concert tickets. Unfortunately, cybercriminals don’t take warm weather breaks, instead they’re geared up and ready to take full advantage of the fun. Whether you’re amped to watch your favorite artist live or browsing online in search of the perfect beach house, this #ChatSTC will discuss the most common cyber tricks to keep an eye out for and share tips to avoid getting burned.