Teaching Computer Security to your Kids

Talk to your kids about:

• Protecting their personal information. Social Security numbers, account numbers, and passwords are examples of information to keep private.
• Watching out for "free" stuff. Free games, ring tones, or other downloads can hide malware. Tell your kids not to download anything unless they trust the source and they've scanned it with security software.
• Using strong email passwords and protect them. The longer the password, the harder it is to crack. Personal information, your login name, common words, or adjacent keys on the keyboard are not safe passwords. Kids can protect their passwords by not sharing them with anyone, including their friends.

In addition, be sure your family computers are protected by reputable security software.

Source: consumer.ftc.org