Cybersecurity is a joint responsibility. It’s like a chain where it’s only as strong as the weakest link in that chain. As such, you want to make an effort in keeping security tight and staying up with trends and potential security threats.

With that in mind, here are some tips to keep in mind for various scenarios.

One tip is to have a run over of various cybersecurity terms. This is particularly geared towards kids who frequent social media often and that trend isn’t dying down any time soon. This is important because as we’ve learned social media isn’t as solid as we thought it was so it’s key to stay up to date with all kinds of trends.

Examples of things to cover are things terms like catphishing (people posing as a trusted individual to lure kids into doing something they shouldn’t), and spoof ads and polls. Also talking about the implications on posting personal data like current location and how that can be a threat to personal privacy.

Another area to cover is general mobile security. A lot of people have smartphones or have access to one. Therefore learning about this can be helpful too. Topics to cover are:

• SMiShing - That’s text/message phishing. Cover how to identify it and what to do.

One other topic to cover is smart toys. Now smart toys have gotten a bad rep lately with many exposing private data to the public. Needless to say, there still needs to be some tweaks to them. That being said, it’s not going to stop people from getting them. In this area, I’d exercise caution and do some digging first.

When considering smart toys, consider the following:

• Ensure the manufacturer has both security and privacy policies in place.

The final is discussing identity theft. Even if the average kid isn’t wealthy and depends on their parents, it doesn’t mean they are immune to identity theft. Teaching kids to be cautious and to identify online and offline threats is important. Of note discuss the following topics:

• Password hygiene - the benefits of changing a password regularly and talking about the dangers of sharing passwords with others.

There are all kinds of ways for us to better protect ourselves. But teaching our kids these important lessons can help to breed better habits for them on security. On top of that, these tips are also good for any person. Learning about these areas will also reinforce children to pick up these habits as well.