On International Day of Families observed today (15 May), a global Kaspersky study reveals that while 55% of respondents from South Africa talk about online safety, only 33% secure all their family devices – highlighting the need for proactivity from family digital managers.
As online threats develop and every generation joins the online space, cybersecurity habits have become an essential part of life for every family. Typically, in every family, one or two people become so-called Family Digital Managers, responsible for managing subscriptions, setting up new devices, or thinking about cyber protection. Kaspersky has conducted a survey to find out what measures modern families take to stay safe online.
According to Kaspersky’s data, a significant portion of respondents in South Africa adopt an educational approach to cybersecurity within their families:
- 55% regularly coach elderly relatives and children on safe online practices;
- 51% advise family members to adopt password manager solutions;
- 51% encourage the use of multi-factor authentication (MFA); and
- 46% actively review and adjust privacy settings on both family devices and critical online accounts.
Although a growing awareness of the importance of proactive, family-focused digital protection can be observed, when it comes to the implementation of security solutions, the trend is slightly different. 8% of respondents in South Africa take no measures at all to protect their loved ones online.
As for the parental control apps, 71% of families with children under 18 years use this tool to monitor and secure their kids’ online activity. Parental control can help restrict children’s access to inappropriate content and also gently manage their online habits by limiting access to certain websites and apps, controlling their screen time, and even enhancing their physical security by tracking their geolocation.
The most worrying number is that only 33% of local respondents – just one in three – install security solutions on all family members’ devices. Kaspersky experts highlight that the current threat landscape shows that mobile devices and tablets as well as PCs all require comprehensive cyber protection, as they are often targeted by cybercriminals.
According to the survey, only 32% of respondents in South Africa set up new devices for their families. Setting up a new device is not often regarded as a step that contributes to cyber safety; however, some actions performed before the device is put into use can significantly enhance its security. For instance, experts recommend installing a security solution first, to scan the device for hidden threats and make web browsing safe from the first queries. What’s more, reviewing privacy settings on a new device allows you not to share data that you would like to keep private with some applications and services.
The research also shows that the older generation (55+) is generally less included in family security habits. Around one in five (21%) of this age group globally do not take any measures to protect their family online and only a quarter (24%) install security solutions for family members. The most popular security measure among them turns out to be a password manager, as 40% of this age group recommend their family members to use it.
“We are now using a lot of gadgets and digital services, and with every new device and every additional hour spent online, the potential entry points for cybercriminals continue to grow, exposing us to a wider range of cyber threats,” says comments Brandon Muller, Technical Expert at Kaspersky. “At the same time, not every generation adapts to these rapid changes with the same ease.
“That’s why having someone in the family take on the role of a family digital manager can be so valuable, especially when it comes to protecting kids and elder people from digital cyberthreats, give advice and help with the use of trusted security solutions.”