The internet is everywhere in the modern world, used in personal, professional, and educational settings. Children learn how to operate a touch screen before they can talk, and older children enjoy various games, social media, and educational materials at their fingertips. But with the ubiquity of the internet comes the prevalence of security concerns and cyberthreats. These threats led to the development of Safer Internet Day, a campaign designed to encourage everybody-from kids to parents to educators-to play their part in creating a better internet. In this blog, I highlight the importance of this initiative and provide tips for staying safe online.

What Is Safer Internet Day?

Held annually in early February, Safer Internet Day is a global awareness event coordinated by the Insafe/INHOPE Network in Brussels with the European Commission's support. In the United States, the event's official host is ConnectSafely, a Silicon Valley nonprofit dedicated to educating users of connected technology about safety, privacy, and security. The goal of Safer Internet Day is to create a safer and better internet experience by raising awareness of how to use technology responsibly and respectfully. 

Why Is Safer Internet Day Important?

As of 2021, over 90% of people living in developed countries used the internet, making them potential victims of cybercrimes, including identity theft, financial theft, intellectual property violations, malware, and malicious social engineering. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), 2019 saw a peak of 3.2 million identity theft reports, most of which occurred due to internet use, and nearly a quarter of which resulted in financial loss. In other words, cybercrime can affect anyone using the internet, so it's essential for anyone who uses the internet to protect themselves, their data, and any internet-connected devices, whether at home, school, or work. Safer Internet Day promotes awareness of these potential threats and distributes resources and information that help people engage in safer online practices.

Safer Internet Tips

Safer Internet Day provides an opportunity to reflect on your internet usage and safety practices. Here we provide a list of tips to help you get started: 

Educate and Encourage Positive Change

• Keep Personally Identifiable Information Private:Instruct your family and friends to keep their personally identifiable information (PII) private online by encouraging them not to share their real names with strangers or give out information about where they live. 
• Establish Clear Online Rules for Children and Teens:This could include creating lists of approved websites and applications or requiring parental approval for certain activities. 
• Ensure Everyone Understands the Importance of Strong Passwords:Make sure your family members know how to create them, and why they should not share those passwords with anyone else. Another password best practice includes making a different password for each account, avoiding common phrases, and including numbers and special characters.
• Know How to Spot Potential Scams:Talk to your family about media literacy and how to spot unauthentic sources and potential scams.
• Beware of Phishing:Discuss what phishing attempts are and how to identify them. Make it clear that no one should click on a suspect link or open unexpected attachments.
• Communicate Concerns:Encourage children and teens to come to a trusted adult if they are unsure about something they find on the internet or have concerns about a particular website or interaction.

Get Ahead of Potential Threats

• Reviewapps that you and your family use and discuss any safety concerns about usage.
• Establishproper antivirus software and other security features such as parental controls on your devices to prevent threats.
• Leverage VPN technology in order to establish online anonymity and enhance security when browsing on public networks. 
• Encouragethe use of multi-factor authentication (MFA) to help provide extra layers of security.
• Installsoftware updates to keep devices up to date.
• Monitorthat online purchases are made from secure sites. Threat research from FortiGuard Labs shows that e-commerce platforms are often targeted by cybercriminals.

Final Thoughts on Best Practices to Follow This Safer Internet Day

Being online opens the door to various cyberthreats, from social engineering attacks to data breaches. By taking appropriate steps and following certain best practices, we can create an internet that is more secure for everybody, from children to adults. 

Fortinet places a heavy focus on spreading cyber awareness through our Fortinet Training Institute and initiatives to close the cyber skills gap. As part of the Fortinet TAA initiative, I co-wrote "Cyber Safe: A Dog's Guide to Internet Security," written to educate our youth about internet safety. Through this initiative, Fortinet is continuing its commitment to educating the global community on cyber safety, regardless of age, background, or life experiences. This book is an initiative of Fortinet's skills gap work, focusing on building cyber awareness from an early age to help create a safer environment online for all. 

Find out more about how Fortinet's Training Advancement Agenda (TAA) and NSE Training Institute programs, including the Certification Program, Security Academy Program and Veterans Program, are helping to solve the cyber skills gap and prepare the cybersecurity workforce of tomorrow.