Citizen Resources

Whether you’re protecting your home network, guiding your kids in safe online practices, teaching digital safety in the classroom, or navigating online spaces as a veteran, we have the tools and knowledge to stay secure.

Explore our curated resources designed to help Idaho citizens of all ages and backgrounds build strong cyber habits and safeguard their digital lives.

Cybersecurity for Everyone

Top 5 ways to protect yourself online:

Use anti-virus and separate anti-spyware software, and keep them up to date.
Do not open emails or attachments from unknown sources. Be suspicious of any attachments—even if it appears to be from someone you know.
Use hard-to-guess passwords and keep them private.
Update all your software regularly to ensure that you get security updates. Check monthly or more often.
Back up your computer files frequently.

Don’t open unsolicted emails:

Adjust the privacy settings on social networking sites you frequent to make it more difficult for people you know and do not know to post content to your page. Even a friend can unknowingly pass on multimedia that’s malicious software.
Do not download software to view videos. These applications can infect your computer.
Read emails you receive carefully. Fraudulent messages often feature misspellings, poor grammar, and nonstandard English.
Report emails you receive that purport to be from the FBI. Criminals often use the FBI’s name and seal to add legitimacy to their fraudulent schemes. The FBI does not send unsolicited e-mails to the public. Should you receive unsolicited messages that feature the FBI’s name, seal, or that reference a division or unit within the FBI or an individual employee, report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.

Practical steps for phishing attempts:

If you suspect that an email or text message you received is a phishing attempt:

Do not open it. In some cases, the act of opening the phishing email may cause you to compromise the security of your Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
Delete it immediately to prevent yourself from accidentally opening the message in the future.
Do not download any attachments accompanying the message. Attachments may contain malware such as viruses, worms or spyware.
Never click links that appear in the message. Links embedded within phishing messages direct you to fraudulent websites.
Do not reply to the sender. Ignore any requests the sender may solicit and do not call phone numbers provided in the message.
Report it. Help others avoid phishing attempts:
- Check if others in your contact list have also received a suspicious message.
- Use the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Assistant if you have been phished.

If you receive a phishing phone call:

If you receive a phone call that seems to be a phishing attempt:

Hang up or end the call. Be aware that area codes can be misleading. If your Caller ID displays a local area code, this does not guarantee that the caller is local.
Do not respond to the caller’s requests. Many companies, financial institutions and legitimate businesses will never call you to request your PII. Never give PII to the incoming caller.

Scammers use email or text messages to trick you into giving them your personal and financial information. There are several ways to protect yourself. Read this article from the Federal Trade Commission on how to navigate and avoid phishing scams.

Home

Useful resources to ensuring online safety at home:

Parents

Kids

Educators

As an educator, you play a crucial role in guiding children towards smart choices while online. Teaching children about the risks of the internet and the responsibilities of being a “cyber citizen” help ensure kids will not become victims or victimize others while online.

Top 3 ways to protect your students online:

Incorporate Internet safety education into your classroom. You are instrumental in protecting our children online. Use the resources here to improve our children’s awareness.
Educate yourself on the online risks facing today’s students. Be informed and turn this knowledge into lessons and activities.
Encourage your students to share lessons learned with each other. Facilitate classroom discussions on how to be smart and safe when online.

Top 5 cybersecurity threats faced by teachers:

Phishing: These attacks leverage social engineering by exploiting human emotion to trick victims into giving up sensitive information such as passwords or credit card details. Over 90% of cyberattacks today start with phishing, according to CoSN.
Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS): These attacks occur when multiple systems flood the bandwidth or resources of the local servers. These attacks can cost victims up to $40,000 per hour, while typically only costing around $40 for cyber attackers to engineer.
Data Breach: A data breach is a security incident in which private or sensitive information (such as student data) is accessed without authorization. In fact, student and educator data breaches were one of the most common cyber incidents experienced in 2019.
Ransomware: These threats involve hackers holding data hostage in exchange for money or other demands. According to a report from the cybersecurity firm Emisof, the potential cost of ransomware in the United States reached over $7.5 billion in 2019.
IoT Vulnerabilities: IoT (Internet of Things) devices such as laptops, smart home accessories and tablets often lack security or are not updated on a regular basis, making it vital for teachers to prioritize security when incorporating IoT devices into the classroom.

Resources:

Veterans