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Do You Know What Risks Your Children Face Online?

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As parents, we want to know our kids are safe – but the online world is harder than the real one to control. Today one in four people in the world is a child. In Nigeria, children under the age of 18 make up an estimated 52.44% of the population.

By nature, they are also the most drawn to the internet, and will lead the digital transformation. They are also the most at risk to bullying and harassment.

As a parent myself, and because I work for a global technology company, I am all too aware of the risks of the online world. Luckily I also have insight into solutions and what to look out for.

Here are the most important things to be aware of when it comes keeping your children safe online.

Cyber Bullying
One of the biggest forms of online harassment for children is cyber bullying. The online world presents the ideal platform for bullies to harass their victims.
They’re no longer confined to the playground, but can partake in round-the-clock attacks via email, social media and instant messaging.
Recent statistics show that 52% of young people report being cyber bullied. Worryingly, more than half of young people surveyed said they never confide in their parents when they are bullied.
This means as a parent, it’s up to you to be aware of potentially cruel or risky behaviour taking place online by monitoring your children’s online activities, as well as offline behaviour that may signify your child as a victim.
It’s also important to teach your children not to text or post anything online that would hurt or embarrass anyone else, or compromise themselves – 49% of youth have regretted something they have posted online. In this case, awareness and prevention is better than cure.

Malware And Other Online Threats
It’s also important to be aware of the other threats being online can pose. These include malware and viruses that your children could inadvertently stumble upon while online.
Criminals work relentlessly to seize control of your digital devices, compromise your email and text messages or spy on your online activities in an attempt to steal your identity or financial information.
Children are particularly susceptible to these attacks because they can be lured with offers of free downloads or click on links without understanding the risk of exposure to viruses and scams.
One way to lessen this threat is to educate your children to be careful about the information they share online and protect their passwords.
Teach them to think carefully about the connections they accept on social media and think before clicking on links or downloading content. This is also useful to ensure they are only exposed to content appropriate for their age or maturity.
Beyond education, it’s a good idea to consider filtering software, keep your software up to date and be the administrator of your home computer.
Services such as Windows 10 Family Features also allow you to manage your family’s digital life across Windows PCs, Xbox and mobile devices.
The service gives you the option to restrict the amount of hours your child spends online, and you can add money to your Microsoft account rather than allowing them to unnecessarily share your credit card details for purchases.
What’s more, it allows you to find your child on a map when their phones are turned on; lets you check up on their online activities and block the unsuitable apps and websites.

Balancing The Pros And Cons Of The Online World
As a parent in the digital age, you should be allowing your children to enjoy the limitless information and opportunities that exist online, while not forgetting that it comes at a risk.
The most effective way to do this is to make online safety a family effort, and combine guidance with monitoring of online activities.
By understanding the risks of the internet yourself, you are in a better position to help your children develop the skills and ethics they need to deal with situations, information and people on the web.
 
 


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

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E-Business

TD Africa Dangles Discounts on Mercury Inverters

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In response to Nigeria’s epileptic power supply and the need for a cost-effective back-up, TD Africa, the authorised distributor of Mercury Inverters on the continent, is encouraging Nigerians to take control of their power needs with a discounted offer on all Mercury inverters.

This offer will not only reduce overdependence on the exorbitant fuel-powered generating option widely used, but also offer a seamless and uninterrupted power supply while cutting operational cost by more than 50%.

“Mercury Inverters are a game-changer for Nigerians seeking to overcome the challenges of frequent power outages,” said Toyin Adeniji, TD Africa’s Business Manager for Mercury Inverters.

According to her, the inverters exceptional performance, durability, and affordability, makes it a reliable and sustainable solution that can enhance both personal and business productivity.

TD Africa’s move to discount these Inverters will make the product accessible to more  Nigerians, providing an affordable and reliable power backup option that promises to improve the overall quality of life for individuals and businesses.

The inverters which come in 10KVA and 7.5KVA with a 120V, also contribute to environmental sustainability by minimizing carbon emissions.

While this discounted offer is for a limited time, how to take advantage of this offer can be obtained at  [email protected].

 


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FG to Train 5, 000 Data Protection Officers

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Federal government has granted the Institute of Information Management permission to conduct examinations and certify data protection specialists on a local level.

FG to Train 5, 000 Data Protection Officers

As the demand for data management grows throughout Africa, Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Youth Development has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to train 5,000 Nigerian youths to become data protection specialists.

The agreement is part of the NDPC’s ambition to create 10,123 data management related jobs in Nigeria.

Dr. Vincent Olatunji, CEO of the NDPC, stressed the growing demand for data protection officers in Nigeria during the signing event.

He stated that there are a large number of data controllers in the country, each of which must have at least one data protection officer.

According to the government, young people can now pursue data management careers and fill expected new roles in the ecosystem.

Olatunji also stated that the NDPC has granted the Institute of Information Management permission to conduct examinations and certify data protection specialists on a local level.

He stated that the goal of this move is to improve local knowledge while also reducing the foreign exchange expenses connected with international training.

“In addition, the certification provided by our in-country body will carry global recognition, ensuring our professionals are competitive on the international stage,” he explained.


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Kaspersky Warns that Scammers Hide Phishing Links behind Images

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At the end of August, Kaspersky experts discovered a phishing campaign with an unusual attack vector – through an image. This scam targeted organisations in the fields of online retail, distribution, transportation, and logistics. The cyber attackers aimed to steal corporate email credentials from potential victims.

Within the phishing scheme, the cyber attackers send emails in English, allegedly on behalf of a South Korean company. Pretending to be employees of this organisation, the cybercriminals email about sending instructions to their bank for transferring a payment.

They ask potential victims to check the details in the scanned document, which is added to the body of the letter. According to the legend, this must be done quickly in order to receive payment as soon as possible.

“The image in these phishing emails is poorly visible – this is what the attackers are counting on. Even if a person does not expect an email, he may be interested in looking at the details. However, in reality, the image hides a phishing link.

If the users click on the scan, they will be redirected to a fake resource that mimics a file sharing service from Adobe. There, they will be asked to enter the credentials for a corporate email account to gain access to the document.

However, this should never be done, otherwise this information will go to the cybercriminals,” comments Roman Dedenok, a cybersecurity expert at Kaspersky.

To avoid becoming a victim of such phishing attacks, Kaspersky recommends that users do not trust emails from unknown mailboxes, especially when it comes to confidential data, financial transactions and suspicious attachments, even if it visually looks like the email came from an organisation with a good reputation.

Kaspersky also recommends that companies install a reliable security solution that will automatically send such emails to spam, such as Kaspersky Secure Mail Gateway, and also regularly conduct cybersecurity training for employees, teaching them how to recognise social engineering techniques, for example, using the Kaspersky Automated Security Awareness Platform.

 


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