Help Your Child Recover From Cyber Threats

As your child explores the digital world, they may encounter cyber threats such as phishing scams and malware infection. Keep calm and assure your child that they are not alone. Follow these steps to prevent further losses and safeguard their devices and accounts together.

My child may have shared their personal or banking details online!

Change the password immediately

Remember to set up Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) where possible or use a unique passphrase as a password for different accounts. Guide your child to create a strong password in two simple steps:

1. Use five different words that are meaningful to you.
2. Use uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. A password should be at least 12 characters long.

Check for suspicious activities

Watch out for suspicious transactions or activities to spot potential account misuse. Alert the bank if any credit card details are shared.

1. If there is monetary or personal information loss
   File a police report and report fraudulent transactions to your bank immediately.
2. If it is an E-Commerce scam
   Report the incident to both the police and the platform's administrators.

Run an Anti-virus scan

Run a full anti-virus scan to uncover any malware that could cause further harm. Encourage your child to download anti-virus apps if they have not yet installed or downloaded one on their device.

Submit an incident report

Submit a report to CSA’s SingCert, who will be able to identify the issue and offer advice on how to resolve the incident.

My child’s account has been hacked!

Log out immediately

Secure the account by logging out on all devices immediately. This may log everyone out – including the hacker.

Change the password immediately

Remember to set up two-factor authentication (2FA) where possible or use a unique passphrase as your new password.

If your child does not have access to the account

Report the issue to the platform and request for assistance to retrieve the account. Remember to report any suspicious financial transactions to the bank immediately and make a police report.

Warn your Family and Friends

Criminals may impersonate your child and reach out to their contacts. Warn your family and friends to ignore any requests from the impersonator and advise them not to engage. If you are aware of the impersonator’s profile, report it to the platform immediately.

Protect Your Devices from Malware

Install anti-virus software and schedule regular scans on the device. Ensure that the software and apps are updated regularly to patch security vulnerabilities and prevent malware. Do not click on unsolicited emails, messages, attachments, or pop-ups that prompt you to download software or an unknown third-party application.

Guide your child to stay safe online

Help your child to stay safe online and teach your child to spot the online dangers they may encounter and protect their personal information online. Start with these four cyber tips from the Cyber Security Agency:

1. Use strong passphrases and enable 2FA

2. Beware of phishing scams

3. Add Scamshield and anti-virus apps

4. Update software promptly

These steps serve as a starting point to help your child navigate the online world safely. Remember, your guidance is crucial for shaping their digital safety habits and ensuring their online security.