How To Keep Kids Safe in “The Cloud”

What is “The Cloud”?

In simple terms, the cloud is all of the things you can access remotely over the Internet. When something is in the cloud, it means it's stored on Internet servers instead of your own computer's hard drive. “Cloud computing” is the delivery of different services through the Internet.

Because cloud computing is so ubiquitous and here to stay (many applications are hosted in the cloud today), you can’t stop your child from using it. However, you can teach them how to use it safely.

Shared Access

Cloud computing offers shared access. There are multiple cloud applications out there, which is why shared access is so common. While shared access can offer many benefits, there are certain media we should all avoid uploading to the Internet, such as all confidential and personal information (like email addresses or phone numbers).

TMI (Too Much Information)

Many kids are in the habit of putting a little too much extra information on the cloud, and that is one thing most parents fear. Profile pictures on social media platforms are always public, even when the account is private. A hacker can get a lot of information from a face and a full name. Children should be taught to post appropriate profile pictures and bios and not to store any confidential information on the cloud.

Incomplete Data Deletion

In cloud computing, a user has reduced access into where their data is being stored. This means you can’t be sure whether data you delete is, in fact, deleted or not. It might be possible that data you mark as “deleted” isn’t deleted at all and could fall in the hands of a stranger. Since data is basically widespread over a number of different devices, the process of the deletion varies from provider to provider. You can consult an IT professional to delete data permanently, but our favorite approach is prevention. Even if you do work with an IT professional, motivated hackers may have already taken a screenshot of the information, and then, it is back on the cloud!

What To Do if Your Data is Breached?

Even after all the proper precautionary measures have been taken, your child might still fall victim to cloud computing dangers. Teach your child to be prepared for that and tell you right away if this happens. Many children don’t tell their parents and decide to deal with these situations all alone, which is even more dangerous. Develop an open communication policy with your child and make them comfortable in coming to you about anything that might be confusing or potentially dangerous online.

Never Pay a Ransom

If the worst possible scenario happens, and you are threatened by a hacker, never pay a ransom. It is useless because your data will still be in their procession. There is a significant chance that the hackers will still threaten you in the future. 90% of hackers keep a copy of the data they steal; therefore, it's best to let the cyber Intelligence professionals handle this situation.