Threats are everywhere on the Internet and pose a serious danger to younger users. Kaspersky Lab recommends that users keep their devices up to date with the latest virus protection to prevent phishing, cyberbullying and access to inappropriate content.
Threats are everywhere on the Internet and they pose a serious danger to younger users. Moreover, children who use mobile devices can be even more vulnerable because they are free to surf the Internet at any time or place, without adult supervision.
According to a survey conducted by Kaspersky Lab and B2B International, over a 12-month period the children of 22% of respondents were affected by cyber incidents. These incidents included outbreaks of cyberbullying or encountering sites containing material damaging for youngsters.
While surfing the Internet, children may come across web pages containing inappropriate information, for example, websites with erotic content or information about weapons or drugs. Another common problem arises when search results don’t lead to the kind of information the user is looking for. For example, a child might search for cartoons but get results about cartoons for adults.
Social networks are a serious source of threats too. Children can indiscriminately add anyone as a friend, making acquaintances and communicating with people who might upset or mislead them, or try to get confidential information from them. In particular, 21% of parents lost money or confidential information stored on their device due to their child’s activities, the survey showed.
Modern phones and tablets often serve as universal game consoles, and many children use them for little else. However, not all games are suitable for children: some contain scenes of violence, profanity or erotica. Games are not the only danger – any application downloaded from official stores could contain unwanted information.
It is important to remember that some threats are universal and can affect people of all ages. However, because children are less experienced they may be more vulnerable to these. For example, they may not properly understand how dangerous a site or a file can be, leading them to download infected files or enter data on a phishing page.
That’s why it’s vital to make sure the device is properly protected against viruses, phishing and other online threats – especially on Android-based devices since around 99% of all mobile malware is targeted at the Android platform.
Today many children spend too much time on their devices. Most prohibitions and access restrictions are hard to apply to a mobile device which is always with the child but there is a huge arsenal of technical means that could help to limit the time children use their mobile devices, or set times when they can play with the gadget. Of course, the problem cannot be solved by technical means alone. Children need alternatives to their gadgets and only their parents can ensure it – spend more time with the children; get them playing sports or being involved in a hobby, so that they have less time to spend on their mobile devices. It’s also advisable for parents to keep abreast of new cyber threats and tell their children about them. Understanding the rules of safe behaviour on the Web and careful attitude to the information that can be shared online, will help avoid many unpleasant incidents.
Information technologies can help protect children online. Kaspersky Lab offers a number of tools to ensure children are safe from cyber threats on mobile devices. These tools can automatically block dangerous content, filter unwanted sites and provide you with the reports containing information on the applications installed by your children. Among them are the Safe Browsers for iOS and Windows Phone, Kaspersky Internet Security – multi-device 2015, which offers an array of protection for Android devices in particular.
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CES: So long, and thanks for all the beer!
Last week, the Las Vegas expo showed off its fun side with state-of-the-art technologies for enjoying beer, writes BRYAN TURNER
From craft beer-making machines to robots that pour beer, CES had more beer than usual in Las Vegas last week. And even free beer if you found the right stand. Stampede’s saloon-style booth offered beer to visitors who tried out its latest drones, virtual reality, and other gaming products. No beer tech, though.
Here are some of the beer technologies that stood out:
LG HomeBrew – Craft beer made at home
LG’s HomeBrew craft beer-making machine, debuted at CES 2019, brings the brewing process home thanks to single-use capsules, a self-cleaning feature, and an algorithm optimised for fermentation.
Like a Nespresso coffee machine, the beer maker uses capsules, which contain malt, yeast, hop oil and flavouring. At the press of a button, LG HomeBrew automates the whole procedure from fermentation and carbonation to ageing. A companion app lets users check HomeBrew’s status at any time during the process, from their handsets.
The beer machine not only offers a simple way to make craft
Designed with discerning beer lovers in mind, HomeBrew allows for in-home production of batches of more than 4 litres of beer in a variety of styles. The following five distinctive, flavoured beers are available now:
- Hoppy American IPA
- Golden American Pale Ale
- Full-bodied English Stout
- Zesty Belgian-style Witbier
- Dry Czech Pilsner
The only catch? It takes about two weeks to make, depending on the beer type.
“LG HomeBrew is the culmination of years of home appliance and water purification technologies that we’ve developed over the decades,” said Dan Song, president of LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solutions Company. “Homebrewing has grown at an explosive pace, but there are still many beer lovers who haven’t taken the jump because of the barriers to entry, like complexity, and these are the consumers we think will be attracted to LG HomeBrew.”
Click here to read about the party speaker that holds beer and robots that pour beer.
CES: Alienware gets Legend-ary
At CES in Las Vegas last week, Dell’s Alienware released a family of high-end, thin, light, and affordable machines for both amateur and professional gamers – and a new identity.
Alienware marked CES 2019 as a brand milestone with the debut of a new design identity, Alienware Legend. It aims to set a new bar of excellence for what gamers want most – performance and function. Alienware says it evaluated multiple concepts and chose one that was the biggest and boldest departure from its current look.
Alienware Legend, says the company, stays true to the brand’s core design tenets, taking cues from its deep roots in sci-fi culture and its early industrial designs, to distinguish the brand from the rest of the industry. The new Legend design is optimised with cutting-edge thermal cooling technology to achieve and sustain overclocking power, improved AlienFX lighting, and ultra-thin screen borders. It also unveiled a new “three-knuckle hinge” design that reduces the overall dimension while creating a stronger assembly, all combining to yield a better gaming experience.
“We’re excited to come to this year’s CES with some truly groundbreaking products, next-gen software and strategic partnerships that will bring more people to experience PC gaming and advance the industry,” said Frank Azor, vice president and general manager of Alienware. “The legend design answers the call for more and better from our gaming community, and the new G Series laptops will make PC gaming even more accessible to those looking for high-performance gaming at a cost they can appreciate.”
Click here to read about Alienware Legend in action with the Area-51m and m-series laptops