Digital Security Resources for Parents

Internet Safety 101 site: Enough Is Enough® understands that Internet safety is a shared responsibility between the public, the Internet industry, and the legal community. However, parents remain the 'first line of defense' in protecting their children against Internet safety dangers. Unfortunately, parents, educators and other caring adults are ill-equipped, uninformed and often overwhelmed when it comes to Internet safety issues, and they need credible outside help. As the nation's leading Internet safety organization since 1994, EIE has responded to this call for action by creating Internet Safety 101SM, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice. Internet Safety 101SM is a widely-renowned resource and teaching series that paints a comprehensive picture of the dangers children encounter online. Through the Internet Safety 101SM program, EIE strives to educate and empower parents, educators and other caring adults with the information they need to effectively protect children from Internet dangers.

 Link: https://internetsafety101.org/parentsguidetosocialmedia

A Parent's Guide to SmartPhone Security: with this guide you can make your smartphone safer for your kids in just 11 easy steps. 

Link: https://internetsafety101.org/objects/Parents_Guide_to_Smart_Phone_Security.pdf

FBI Parents Resources: Get advice and information to help protect your children from dangers lurking in both the online and offline worlds.  

• About Protecting Your Kids: Learn how to Contact The FBI; Report child abductions or abuse
• FBI Child ID App: The FBI's Child ID App provides parents with an easy way to electronically store their children’s information and identity.
• Get advice and information to help protect your children from dangers lurking in both the online and offline worlds.

Link: https://www.fbi.gov/resources/parents

KidsHealth - Internet Safety Guide: The Internet can be wonderful for kids. They can use it to research school reports, communicate with teachers and other kids, and play interactive games.
But online access also comes with risks, like inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and online predators. Using apps and websites where kids interact, predators may pose as a child or teen looking to make a new friend. They might prod the child to exchange personal information, such as address and phone number, or encourage kids to call them, seeing their phone number via caller ID.

Link: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/net-safety.html

Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI): Need help talking with your kids about online safety? Want to know about parental controls? Looking for a simple set of rules to use with your children? FOSI’s Good Digital Parenting provides you with videos, tip sheets, resources, blogs, and more.

Link: https://www.fosi.org/good-digital-parenting/

National Cyber Security Alliance/Stay Safe Online: Here are helpful links from the National Cyber Security Alliance's sponsors, partners and friends to help you and your friends and family be safer and more secure online.

Link: https://staysafeonline.org/stay-safe-online/related-links/

Tom's Guide: Best Parental Control Apps 2019: The best parental-control apps for smartphones can help you track your kids, see whom they are communicating with, block kids from viewing objectionable or dangerous websites, and even help kids understand the value of limits while preventing them from accessing adult content or communicating with strangers.

Link: https://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-parental-control-apps,review-2258.html

PCMag.com - The Best Tracking Devices for Kids: Kids get lost. GPS and Bluetooth trackers can help find them and keep them safe. With the help of our own children, we've tested clips, smartwatches, and wearables to determine what type works best and which one is right for you.

Link: https://www.pcmag.com/roundup/362044/the-best-tracking-devices-for-kids

OpenDNS - Basic Web Filtering and Protection: OpenDNS is the name of a Domain Name System (DNS) service as well as of the company that provides that service. The OpenDNS service extends the DNS by incorporating features such as content filtering and phishing protection.  Get OpenDNS Family Shield

Link: https://www.opendns.com/setupguide/#familyshield

The 9 Most Useful Computer Security Blogs

UPDATED
I currently read many blogs and have a bunch of RSS feeds directed to my blackberry via viigo software so I can keep up on what’s going on in the cloud we call the Internet.  It is rare, however, to find blogs that are consistent and thorough with their postings and content.  The following is my list of the 9 most important and useful blogs related to Computer Security:
1.  The Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC).  The MSRC blog was launched in February 2005 and provides a real-time way for the Microsoft Security Response Center to communicate with customers.  Topics include day-to-day “behind the scenes” information that helps customers understand Microsoft’s security response efforts, updates during early stages of security incidents.
2.  Fraud, Phishing and Financial Misdeeds blog.  Having worked around financial crimes for a number of years, Ed Dickson noticed they seemed to be on the rise, one reason for this is technology, which grows more rapidly than the laws designed to protect us from it.  Ed’s blog is a resource to educate people on Identity Theft, it also strives to educate the common person on the rapidly growing problem of crimes enabled (made too easy) by technology and the Internet.
3.  TaoSecurity blog.  Richard Bejlitch is the author of one of my favorite books on Information Security, “The Tao of Network Security Monitoring.”  His blog focuses on digital security and the practices of network security monitoring, incident response, and forensics.
4.  Wired Magazine’s Threat Level.  This excellent blog is dedicated to dissecting the news to find some really interesting gems related to computer, government, and general security information.
5.  SANS Computer Forensics, Investigation, and Response.  A team of GIAC certified forensics professionals share their thoughts on fighting crime and unravelling incidents “One Byte At A Time”.   This is an excellent source if you really want to get into the guts of your computer.
6.  Avira’s Tech blog.  Avira, the maker of antivir (one of the most highly rated, free for home use, virus scanners) keeps its readers up-to-date on the latest virus news.
7.  Krebs on Security.  This is Brian Krebs security blog.  He offers excellent commentary on computer security related topics.  Much of what he covers surrounds cybercrime, vulnerabilities, and hacking groups with established footholds.
8.  The Museum of Hoaxes.  This blog is dedicated to examining dubious claims and mischief of all kinds.  If you’re checking into an email you received from a prince in Nigeria, this is an excellent place to start.
9. Hoax Slayer.  Tracks many of the email hoaxes and other Internet based hoaxes.  Great site, with quick navigation and search.