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    (i) Good cyber hygiene

    Teaching your child good cyber hygiene practices is as important as teaching them safety in other aspects of their life. Knowledge and strategies in all these areas will help them make sound decisions on their own in the years to come.

    Read more about:

    What is considered good cyber hygiene?

    Cyber hygiene is about having a set of practices that you adhere to regularly to resist cyber threats and online security issues. It is helpful for you to learn more about cyber hygiene, so that you can better support your child in developing good cyber practices.

    Protected computer

    Ways you can practise good cyber hygiene include:

    Password field

    Creating strong passwords

    • Ensure that all your passwords contain

      • At least 12 characters

      • Both upper- and lower-case letters

      • Numbers and symbols

    Strong password examples

    Using different passwords for different accounts and platforms

    • To make it easier to remember all your passwords, you can use passphrases

    • Examples of strong passwords which are passphrases include

      • 5tr0ngPA$SWORD

      • iWan2$tudy

      • learntoRIDEabicycle@5

      • CyBerwellne5$.

    Virus

    Installing anti-virus software on all your devices

    • Do ensure these are kept updated

    Updating

    Keeping the Operating System (OS) of all your devices updated

    • This ensures your devices have the latest security updates

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    You can also make use of CSA’s Password Checker to find out how long it will take for cyber criminals to crack a password. This helps you determine if your password is strong enough or if you need to make it even stronger.

    How can you engage your child when teaching cyber hygiene?

    You can have fun with your child while helping them learn more about cyber hygiene by playing this Cyber Hygiene Connect Four.

    Cyber Hygiene

    Connect Four

    Needed To Play:

    • 1 card

    • 2 players (You could play it with your child or have your children play with each other as you moderate)

    1. Each player can take turns calling out and marking off a tile containing a cyber hygiene action they did in the past month.

    2. Players can further explain why the action is important and how it helps keep them safe online.

    3. The first person to mark off all tiles any way across (diagonally, horizontally, or vertically) wins!

    By playing this game together with your child, you will not only improve your child’s knowledge of cyber hygiene, but can also review their understanding of it. You will also be able to lead by example and bond with your child in a fun way.

    A girl
    A boy
    A girl
    A boy

    Always log out from your accounts, especially when using a device that is not yours

    Be familiar with technology you are using to reduced exposure to unsafe content or cyber threats

    Have a strong password

    (It should have at least 12 characters with a mix of letters, numbers and special characters)

    Tell a trusted adult if you receive a suspicious email or message

    Check the accuracy and credibility of information you receive

    NLB resources: go.gov.sg/cw-sure1 go.gov.sg/cw-sure2

    Don’t let your friends use your account

    Be careful of who you are interacting with online

    Help those around you practise good cyber hygiene and be cyber secure

    Update your software or apps regularly

    Do not click on links and attachments in online messages or emails from unknown senders

    Do not disclose your personal and private information online

    Report fake websites to a trusted adult

    When in doubt, ask a trusted adult or friend

    Do not share your password with anyone other than a trusted adult

    Be aware of phishing and scams

    NLB resources: go.gov.sg/scamshield

    Keep your anti-virus software up-to-date

    Secured computer
    Kids painting

    If your child is younger, you can use the story of the Three Little Pigs to illustrate the need to create strong passwords.

    Click here for more examples of such fairytale analogies to illustrate cybersecurity.