Kaspersky’s white paper highlights the critical role of educators in APAC in improving cyber education and recommends enhanced training and awareness initiatives to better prepare students for online threats. While educators practice some cyber hygiene, they need more comprehensive knowledge and confidence to teach these practices effectively.
16 May 2024 – Kaspersky’s latest white paper underscores the pivotal role of educators in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region in advancing cyber education within classrooms. Conducted in collaboration with Associate Professor Jiow Hee Jhee from the Singapore Institute of Technology, the five-week study surveyed 157 educators across India, Singapore, and the Philippines.
The study revealed a strong correlation between educators’ cyber hygiene practices and their confidence in teaching students to identify suspicious sources and handle dubious emails. This confidence is notably higher among educators who have been trained or are knowledgeable about proper cyber hygiene practices.
Notably, nearly 70% of the surveyed educators prefer using their own mobile data over public networks as a precautionary measure. Similarly, 70% remain cautious of links and attachments from unknown sources. However, a significant concern is the creation of secure passwords, with 85% acknowledging the likelihood of their passwords being guessed and cracked. Moreover, 90% of the respondents believe their digital devices could be susceptible to future cyberattacks.
Despite recognizing the threat posed by data theft from compromised passwords, about 90% of the educators surveyed do not consider the potential impact of such breaches, including personal data theft, to be severe. This indicates a gap in understanding the full implications of security breaches and how stolen data can be misused for illicit activities.
The study highlights that while educators possess some knowledge of protecting themselves from cyber threats, this knowledge might be insufficient for complete safety. Additionally, it may not instill the necessary confidence to effectively teach cyber hygiene to students. Educators also need to be more aware of the risks and consequences of security breaches.
Trishia Octaviano, Academic Affairs Manager for Asia Pacific at Kaspersky, emphasized the crucial role of educators in fostering a cyber-immune global community. She stated, “As we strengthen our efforts to create a cyber-immune global community, the role of educators cannot be overstated. With the dangers of cyber threats remaining a pressing issue, it is imperative for educators to possess adequate knowledge of safe cyber hygiene practices and gain an understanding of the repercussions of incautious actions online. Kaspersky’s white paper highlights how schools and institutions should look towards identifying and bridging the gaps in the classroom to best prepare the next generation for online threats they may increasingly face.”
Kaspersky recommends several measures to address these challenges:
- Provide Cybersecurity Training for Educators: Equipping educators with the necessary tools and continuous training to enhance their confidence in teaching cyber hygiene is crucial in combating sophisticated cyber threats.
- Awareness Initiatives by Schools: Schools should actively promote safe cyber behaviors among students, creating an environment that encourages the learning and practice of online safety.
- Engaging Parents Effectively: A collaborative effort involving both educators and parents is essential to reinforce cybersecurity teachings at home, thereby enhancing the child’s understanding and adoption of safe online practices.
