Resources for Parents - Cyber Security

How cyber-savvy are you? Cyber security quiz

Developed in partnership with CIRA, this interactive quiz is designed to increase students’ knowledge of the cyber security risks they face every day.

Printable activities for younger children

These printable activity sheets introduce basic media literacy skills and concepts and are suitable for use in homes, schools and libraries. They can be completed independently, but children will learn more if you discuss the activities with them. Younger children may need help reading the instructions and completing some activities.

Spies in Your Stocking: Privacy, Smart Toys and the Internet of Things

This year, it may not just be Santa Claus who sees your kids when they're sleeping and knows when they're awake: one of the hottest trends this season is so-called "smart toys", which use the Internet to hold artificially intelligent conversations with kids while they play. Last year's Hello Barbie, one of the first to use this technology, was found to have a number of major security flaws -- including automatically connecting the mobile device to which it was tethered to any Wi-Fi network with "Barbie" in its name. Now two more toys, a doll called My Friend Cayla and the i-Que Intelligent Robot, have been found to collect data in ways that are far more worrying. 

Cyber Security Consumer Tip Sheet: Mobile devices

As well as invaluable tools for keeping in touch with our friends, families and our work, mobile devices have become an increasingly big part of how we access the Internet. Unfortunately, while many smartphones are nearly as powerful as computers, we often don’t use the same caution with them as we do with our computers—and they often don’t have the privacy and security safeguards that come built into computers. As well, the fact that we’re never far from our mobile devices can bring a host of opportunities for us to be distracted and to make poor choices.

Cyber Security Consumer Tip Sheet: Safe practices for e-commerce

Thanks to the Internet, we now have access to an online marketplace of staggering proportions. If it exists, then it’s probably on the Internet. Despite the benefits of online commerce, there are a few pitfalls and risks to watch out for in order to make your online shopping a positive experience.