Dave! We’ve just moved my daughter into the dorms and she’s very excited about this new chapter in her life. She’s also not very security conscious and we’re worried her PC will get malware or she’ll have her bank info stolen. What are your best recommendations to help her stay secure while online?
It’s definitely that time of the year! I can remember moving my youngest into her dorm room what seems like just a few weeks ago, and, while carrying towels, bed linens and clothes up the stairs to her room, I kept thinking about how dorm Wi-Fi is remarkably insecure overall. So how do students with plenty else on their minds protect themselves online while living in the dorms? There are a number of steps to take…
SECURE ONLINE CONNECTIONS WITH A VPN
The most obvious online privacy solution is to have them use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN is software that adds a layer of encryption so that traffic to or from the computer is scrambled before it reaches the network. If someone’s nefariously monitoring the Wi-Fi network, the traffic is then unintelligible and safe.
There are also many other things your child can also do to ensure they remain safe online, including:
* Ensure that they use complex passwords and have different passwords for important Web sites (especially banking and financial sites). Remind them to never share passwords with dormies, new bffs, even an intimate partner!
* Enable 2-factor authentication for any sites that support it (including Instagram, Twitter, SnapChat, Google Docs, TikTok, and many more).
* Encourage them to be highly skeptical of all email. Messages ostensibly from fellow students, teachers, or administration can actually be scams or phishing attacks that try to fake out the recipient so they can steal login credentials.
* Don’t install unknown software, games, game hacks, or shortcuts, even if your best friend recommends it. Do install a strong antivirus and anti-malware utility, keep it updated, and use it to scan your computer at least weekly.
* Keep an eye on all transactions on your credit and debit cards and sign up for text messages from your bank notifying you of every single transaction. Also consider using a VPN like NordVPN if you are visiting highly secure or private sites.
* Don’t leave your computer open and logged in; set up a short timeout sleep that then requires a password or biometric to wake up again.
* Consider using a smartphone as an Internet connection tool for the most private and personal online traffic. Cellular connections are highly secure and you’re not sharing it with dozens of other dorm-mates.
* To avoid any issues with identity theft, lock up private and important paperwork and documents, including bank statements. Most dorm rooms include a locking desk drawer: Use it. He doesn’t have one? Consider getting him a small lockbox that he can use instead.
It’s worth noting that most colleges have smart wireless connection monitoring software that can detect and block malicious code, but do you want to have your child rely on that working perfectly 100% of the time?
Life in the dorms should be really fun with lots of new friends, late night study sessions, parties, and much more. Not unreasonably, students want to focus on the fun things – and their classes – rather than stress about security and digital privacy. These suggestions and guidelines should help your child have a fun and safe year in college!
Pro Tip: I have quite a few tutorials and articles on computer basics and security. Please check out my computer basics help library and my spam, scams, and security article repository while you’re visiting. Thanks!