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Understanding the five most common cybersecurity mistakes to empower students to protect their privacy online

Be sure to check out the suggested Huddle question at the bottom of this article to discuss this important topic with your students in class, if you feel it is appropriate.

Imagine a world where students can confidently explore social media and technology, free from the threat of cyber attacks or hackers. Sounds like a dream, right? While we can’t eliminate all privacy risks, educators can equip students with the tools to navigate their online world safely. And with research indicating that cyber risks affect around 70% of students worldwide, it’s never been a better time to start. Whether students engage in risky online behaviors, such as using unsecured WiFi networks and reusing passwords, educators can empower students to protect their privacy online and be aware of privacy invasions. 

A new study is looking to minimize risks online by identifying the five most common risky behaviors that users take. With students using technology daily at home and in the classroom, it’s important to equip them with the tools to protect their personal information and have positive online interactions. By equipping students with the tools to make their online social worlds a safe space, students will benefit from the many positives that come with social media and tech, like connection, exploration, and self-expression.

The five most common cybersecurity mistakes students make

The study, released in May 2024 by Visual Capitalist, is based on data from Proofpoint, a cybersecurity software company. Proofpoint gathered insights on the types of cyber risks users made online in 2023 and 2024 to find which were the most common. The study surveyed 7,500 participants across 15 countries and discovered that 71% of participants had made a cybersecurity mistake. Here are the five most common cybersecurity mistakes and how your students may be navigating them: 

1. Using a work device for personal reasons: Students may use their school-issued Chromebooks and other school devices for individual activities and to log in to personal accounts. This increases the risk of the school devices being hacked and the students’ personal information being stolen, including information related to their school accounts and education. 
2. Sharing and reusing passwords: Students are prone to choosing simple passwords and reusing them for several different accounts because they are easier to remember than multiple passwords. In fact, roughly 1 in 5 students have shared their passwords with someone else. Students may share their passwords with friends to feel closer to them or even just out of convenience. By reusing or sharing passwords, students unknowingly give hackers a better chance of stealing them. 
3. Connecting to public WiFi without a VPN: Students commonly connect to public WiFis on their devices without protection, often in places like hotels and stores without secure networks. When they connect to these public WiFis, the unsecured nature of the networks leaves their devices open to being hacked.
4. Responding to messages from unknown users: Students may receive messages, photos, or links from scammers and phishers on social media. If they interact with these messages or share sensitive information, the unknown user could steal their data or hack their account. Around 3 in 10 students have fallen for a phishing scam message at some point online, and around 55% of students have admitted to giving away personal information on social media. 
5. Accessing inappropriate websites: Inappropriate websites are often unsecured or contain spam and scamming ads. Interacting with these sites and clicking on their ads and content can put your device at risk of being hacked. At least 50% of students admit to accessing inappropriate websites. 

On average, students spend 8.3 hours a day online, and because of this, they may feel more comfortable taking risks with passwords and unsecured websites. Students also take these risks for convenience, urgency, or to save time. As educators, hearing statistics and studies about cybersecurity and online privacy risks impacting our students can be alarming. But, by taking a proactive approach to technology and equipping students with the tools they need to stay safe online, educators can prepare them to develop and maintain safe online practices. 

The impacts of cybersecurity threats on students

Technology is revolutionizing education in schools, enhancing learning experiences, and enabling remote learning capabilities. These tools offer students access to interactive activities, the ability to connect with peers and teachers in real time, and the ability to learn at the tip of their fingers. However, alongside these benefits, cyber-attacks resulting from cybersecurity threats are affecting school laptops and computer systems at an increasing rate. 

These attacks damage technology, slow access, and make devices unable to carry out certain functions, such as remote learning. In more severe cases, confidential student data might be held for ransom or leaked, and live conferences in classrooms were disrupted by uninvited users. Students may also be subject to cyber attacks on their own devices as a result of making mistakes, such as interacting with messages from unknown users. 

Whether students are using personal devices or school-issued technology, it’s important to encourage them to protect themselves from cybersecurity threats while educating them on what cyber attacks can look like. Cyber attacks often feature harassing language, doxxing, violent and inappropriate imagery, threats, or the use of students’ personal information in a damaging way. All of these attacks can emotionally damage students, make them feel scared or threatened, and even potentially put their privacy, safety, and financial security at risk. When students are equipped with the skills to navigate these mistakes, they can foster an online presence that is safe, secure, and protective of their private information. 

TSI’S Take: Empowering students to protect their privacy online

We know that social media and tech aren’t going away, and asking students to stop using their devices isn’t practical as tech is essential for students’ education, social interactions, and personal growth. Instead, we can equip students with the tools they need to be safe online so they can be educated and informed when navigating their online world. According to the study by Visual Capitalist, the best way to stay safe online is by avoiding the five most common mistakes. 

Here are some more tips for engaging in safe, responsible practices online: 

1. Verify that a site or network is secure before accessing it: When students access untrustworthy sites or connect to unsecured networks, they open up the possibility of having their information stolen or their devices hacked. There are several ways to tell if a website is trustworthy and secure. Secure websites will have “https” in their URL instead of “http” and may have a trust seal or a lock icon that you can click on to verify their secureness. If you try to click on a site and your device gives you a warning or stops you from accessing the site, it’s best to leave the site alone. With networks, don’t connect to public WiFi unless you can verify where the network comes from and that it is secure and trustworthy. Empower students to use caution when accessing sites and networks, regardless of how convenient these sites and networks are. 
2. Avoid interacting with unknown users online: Encourage students not to interact with messages they get from unknown users online, whether it’s a text, photo, or link. Interacting with or clicking on the message could allow the user to hack their device or access their personal information. Phishers and scammers may try to trick them into interacting with their message by posing as someone famous or someone they know or making it seem urgent. The best thing for students to do if they receive a sketchy or suspicious message is to delete or block the user. 
3. Be careful with your personal information and cautious about where you share it: Encourage students not to share their passwords or personal info with anyone, even if it’s a close friend or someone they are dating. It’s also risky to store passwords or information that others can easily find. It’s best for students to refrain from using the same password for multiple accounts even though it’s easier to remember because reusing passwords can allow hackers to hack into multiple accounts. Empower students to be cautious about which sites and apps they input their personal information, such as their bank account details and location. If students put private information like this into an unsafe site or app, the information could potentially be stolen and used for identity theft or blackmail. 

When students are empowered to navigate social media in safe and positive ways, they protect themselves, their personal information, and their privacy. Educators can equip them with the cybersecurity mistakes they should avoid and the safety tips they should use online. The Social Institute is a great resource for additional information on empowering students to protect their privacy on social media. For more tips on staying safe online, check out the #WinAtSocial Lesson on privacy settings: Polishing Your Privacy Settings For Your Go-To Apps and Devices. 

#WinAtSocial Huddle Question

Huddle with your students
How would you raise awareness about the five most common cybersecurity mistakes mentioned in the study? Are there any proactive strategies you can take starting today? 

The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in empowering students by understanding students. Through #WinAtSocial, our gamified, peer-to-peer learning platform, we equip students, educators, and families to navigate their social world – in the classroom and beyond, online and offline – in healthy, high-character ways. Our unique, student-respected approach empowers and equips, rather than scares and restricts. We incorporate timely topics about social media, tech use, and current events that are impacting student well-being and learning. #WinAtSocial Lessons teach life skills for the modern day, capture student voice, and provide school leaders with actionable insights. Through these insights, students play an essential role in school efforts to support their own health, happiness, and future success as we enable high-impact teaching, meaningful family conversations, and a healthy school culture.