, Aug 3, 2021 11:51:57 AM

Are your kids’ devices ready for the fall?

Last year, kids across the world became pros at digital learning. They became wizards at Wi-Fi, sorcerers on smartphones, and mere apprentices at internet privacy. Whether they are attending in person or still remote, it’s already time to start preparing for every parent’s favorite season. 

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Further reading:
Is your family ready for distance learning?
Back-to-school cybersecurity 101

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This year, your shopping list might have more electronic devices than ever: Laptops, tablets, networking equipment, Bluetooth earbuds, smartphones, smartwatches, location devices like Apple AirTags, internet-abled assistants and video calling devices like Facebook Portal, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home — the list is endless. 

Nearly everything that connects to the internet via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or hardline creates at least some level of privacy and security vulnerability for your family. Even the colored light bulbs you buy for your kids’ room can make you a target for a hacker! Have you thought about how you’re going to keep your kids safe online? Has the cost of security software been a deterrent in the past? Are you still debating cost versus risk? Let’s take a deeper look.

So, what kind of real risks are you taking by choosing not to add security software to your back-to-school shopping list?

Out of the total 4.8 million cybercrime reports received by the FTC in 2020, the most by category were for identity theft complaints. Of the 2.2 million fraud cases, 34 percent reported money was lost. Consumers reported losing more than $3.3 billion related to fraud complaints, an increase of $1.5 billion from 2019. The median amount consumers paid in these cases was $311. 

To some, $311 probably doesn’t seem like a lot of money, especially compared to the cost of the devices purchased. But that’s only a fraction of the real risk. In addition to the possibility of having to replace the device itself, there’s even more at stake.

The Identity Theft Resource Center® (ITRC) reported that cybercriminals continue to be less interested in stealing large amounts of personal information directly from consumers but instead are taking advantage of bad consumer behaviors to commit identity-related crimes against businesses by using stolen credentials like logins and passwords. Criminals use these credentials to make ransomware and phishing attacks against businesses. 

A vulnerability created by a family device or a naïve user could be exploited to create an attack against your business or employer’s business. That’s the real risk. The cost of losing your source of income is too much to leave to hackers and criminals – especially compared to the low cost of covering an entire family for 12 months with our Avast Ultimate security package. 

Why Avast? 

Sure, there are lots of internet security services available out there, but Avast offers advanced antivirus and anti-tracking privacy protection features that prevent malware while blocking stalkers and advertisers from following your family’s online activity. 

Avast Ultimate is not just a single piece of security software. It’s a suite of everything you need to look after all your family’s devices in one premium and easy-to-use service with our top cleanup and tune up tools included.

Take advantage of our Back-to-School Sale to get even further savings.