Tripwire security researchers offer practical cyber security advice for teens and parents
London, UK: In October 2015, a teenager allegedly breached the email account of CIA Director John Brennan. There have been other recent incidents involving young hackers; U.K.-based telecommunications company TalkTalk experienced a serious data breach that impacted over 150,000 of its customers. The TalkTalk breach led to several arrests and the alleged hackers range in age from 15 to 20.
Despite these events, Tripwire security experts stress that teenagers are not more inclined to be cyber criminals than other demographic groups. “It’s wrong to assume that hackers are getting younger,” said Tyler Reguly, manager of security research for Tripwire. “Hackers come in a wide range of ages, from teenagers to baby boomers.”
“No matter what, the sample age range of hackers will be skewed because we are measuring the hackers who’ve been caught,” said Craig Young, security researcher at Tripwire. “An inexperienced hacker is more likely to trip up than a seasoned cyber criminal. Instead of blaming data breaches on teenagers, we should concentrate on educating them about the consequences of cyber crime.”
Reguly and Young offer four ways parents and teachers can help educate teens about cybersecurity:
Showcase positive hacking examples by using practical samples of vulnerability research. Popular companies, such as Riot Games and Google, offer bug bounty programs that reward white-hat hackers when they uncover software problems, which can then be fixed.
Provide safe and supportive spaces that allow teens to learn about constructive hacking. These can take the form of capture the flag contests and information security classes.
Discuss online safety with your teen. Young people may believe their identities are anonymized on the Internet and that online mischief is relatively safe. These assumptions can be dangerous.
Be prepared to limit and supervise use of the Internet. Many malicious tools are easy to download and widely available.
“Tech literacy does not automatically lead to cybercrime,” said Reguly. “Your 5-year-old nephew may be able do things on an iPad that your mother can’t, but that doesn’t mean he’ll grow up to be a malicious hacker. Since kids often do not connect online actions with real-world consequences, it’s up us to help the next generation grow into constructive hackers who will help make the Internet safer for everyone.”