Protecting young people in the digital world: Cybersecurity from school

Andreas Konstantinidis, with over 20 years of experience in the field of cybersecurity, analyzes the need to integrate cybersecurity education into the educational system.

With the start of the new school year, and with children increasingly using technology, it is imperative to implement strict security protocols and be aware of the risks. While technology provides countless benefits and expands the horizons of knowledge, it also poses many risks, especially for younger users, who are often not adequately informed about how to protect themselves in the digital world. As technology evolves, cyber threats become more sophisticated, and students are at increasing risk of falling victim to identity theft, cyberbullying, phishing attacks, malware infections, and more.

Cybersecurity education is now becoming essential, as children are more vulnerable than ever to cyber threats and attacks.

The main online threats for children and parents

Cyberbullying is an ever-increasing threat that can affect the personal and academic lives of students. The widespread use of the internet from a young age makes children vulnerable to attacks, which can have long-term consequences on their psychological and emotional state. One of the most widespread examples is cyberbullying, which can cause serious emotional distress, isolation and in some cases lead to extreme situations, such as self-harm or even suicide. In addition, students' personal datacan be stolen and used for illegal activities. Malware attacks can lead to the loss of important data.

Parents and children need to be informed about the dangers online. Although adults are usually aware of the risks, children and teenagers often underestimate or ignore the dangers they may encounter online. The main threats include:

• Identity theft: Users can fall victim to fraud by accidentally providing sensitive information to fraudulent websites that mimic well-known websites.
• Viruses and malware: Malicious programs can infect users' devices, often without their knowledge, compromising their personal data, stealing information, or even destroying the device.
• Misinformation: False or distorted information is widespread online, which can lead to misunderstandings and wrong decisions. According to a recent survey by the European Parliament, many young people in Cyprus do not check or confirm whether what they read online is true. The survey shows that Cyprus ranks last in Europe among 16 to 29 year olds who consume content online, with most tending to believe everything they see without verification.
• Contacts with strangers: Communicating with strangers on the internet and through online games can prove dangerous, as many people hide their identities for the purpose of deception or exploitation.
• Seduction and sexual harassment: The anonymous nature of the internet allows perpetrators to approach children for the purpose of harassment or exploitation.
• Internet addiction: Continuous and uncontrolled use of the internet can lead to addiction, affecting the psychological and physical health of children.
• Inappropriate content: There are many websites with content that promotes violence, pornography, racist ideas, and other inappropriate behavior.
• Cyberbullying: Unwanted messages and harassment from other users can have a significant psychological impact on children.
• Alienation from real life: Excessive internet use can alienate children from the real world and reduce their interaction with family and friends.

The role of schools in providing cybersecurity education, and the integration of cybersecurity into the education system

Schools play a crucial role in protecting students, and cybersecurity education is more necessary than ever. By integrating cybersecurity into the curriculum, schools have the opportunity to teach students the importance of internet safety, responsible use, and the potential risks they may face while surfing internet. Through education, students acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to protect themselves while contributing to the formation of a culture of digital responsibility.

Additionally, schools should be able to offer meaningful support to students and their parents on cybersecurity issues. By incorporating online safety education programs, they can provide students with the tools and skills to stay safe. These programs should include privacy management, identifying false information, and appropriate online behavior, thus helping students develop responsible digital habits.

Computer science courses can teach students about secure software programming and the ethics of hacking, while social science courses can examine the social impact of cyber threats and the importance of protecting privacy.

Tips for Parents and Children

Parents play an important role in ensuring their children’s online safety. By actively participating in cybersecurity education, parents can reinforce lessons taught in school and provide guidance for responsible internet use. Open communication between parents and children is critical, as it allows for discussions about potential online risks and the importance of protecting privacy.

• Use available support tools: Parents should be informed about parental control settings on the devices and apps their children use to limit their exposure to dangerous content.
• Promoting open dialogue: Parents are encouraged to discuss with their children how they use the internet, what their favorite websites, games, YouTube channels are, etc. They should ask about their feelings and be informed about any concerns they may have.
• Maintaining a balanced approach: Recognizing that the internet offers many positives, parents should encourage children to share their experiences and educate themselves about the risks.
• Informing them about how to get help and report: Even if they feel that their children are knowledgeable and good users of technology, they should constantly inform them of the ways they can ask for help or complain about something.
• Family internet usage agreement: A family agreement regarding the use of the internet and electronic devices, setting rules and limits, will help ensure responsible internet use by all family members.

Tips for children:

• Privacy: Children should avoid sharing information such as their full name, address, phone number, or school with strangers online or on social networks.
• Create strong passwords: Use unique and difficult passwords for each account and avoid sharing them with anyone except parents.
• Be careful when contacting strangers: Only chat with people you know and trust in real life and immediately inform parents of any suspicious communication.
• Avoid sharing personal photos or locations: Before uploading photos or information about their location, children should consult their parents.
• Dealing with cyberbullying: In the event of harassment, children should talk to their parents or a trusted adult.
• Seek help for any problem: Children should not hesitate to let their parents know about anything that concerns them online.

Strategies and resources to promote cybersecurity awareness

To effectively promote cybersecurity awareness, schools can implement a variety of strategies and leverage various resources. An effective approach includes organizing interactive workshops and seminars, where experts inform students about the latest cyber threats and provide practical tips for online safety. In addition, the use of educational games and simulations makes learning about cybersecurity fun and interesting for students. There are also many online platforms available that offer interactive lessons, games, and seminars on cybersecurity topics tailored to different age groups.

The impact of cybersecurity education on future career opportunities

In addition to protecting students from cyber threats, cybersecurity education opens up significant career opportunities for the future. The demand for cybersecurity professionals continues to grow, and training in this field as well as other emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), data analytics, data engineering, etc. can help students develop valuable skills that will serve them in their future careers.

Cybersecurity education is not just a need of our time, but a critical factor in shaping a safer digital future for children, students, and our society as a whole.

“As a cybersecurity expert, I voluntarily provide, and with the approval of the Ministry of Education, Cybersecurity seminars in primary schools. The interactive seminar I have created is fully harmonized with the practices and directives of the European Union, while at the same time following modern technological trends and emerging threats. The aim is to inform and raise awareness among children about internet safety.
To date, more than 40 seminars have been held in 12 primary schools across Cyprus. The content of the seminar covers, among others, internet safety, hackers and threats, fake data, personal data, personal passwords and protection, cyberbullying and online behavior ,viruses and infections, information theft, online games and threats, and more. Children are given leaflets with practices for safe internet use, stickers and a game to take home.”

Andreas Konstantinidis is the Director of Managed Services at Odyssey CyberSecurity and has more than 20 years of experience in the cybersecurity sector. He specializes in designing security solutions, managing and detecting cyber threats but also has expertise and experience in providing consulting services in the field of information security. He has written and published the book CyberSecurity 101 – Fundamentals for Junior Engineers and Job Seekers on the basics of cybersecurity in order to help young people train and enter the industry more easily. He has also been awarded for 2023-2024 by the ISC2 association with the Top Professional award for the EMEA region.

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blog: https://medium.com/@oandreasc twitter: @oandreasc linkedin: @andreasc1