The Internet is being introduced to, and embraced by, an audience that is getting younger by the minute. Considering the savagery of the threat landscape, without the proper guidance and protection, young minds do not stand a chance against cybercriminals’ nasty schemes.

Internet: Who Does What?
A study conducted by Pew Internet and American Life Project in 2006 and 2008 determined generational differences in online activities. The results implied that younger age groups, those aged 17 and below, tend to employ the Internet as a tool for creative, and social activities. It also showed that the younger age groups spend more time online than the older groups. Furthermore, a similar study by Pew Internet states that, “Internet users in their twenties are more likely than those in their fifties and sixties to have travelled far and wide online, trying new things and possibly learning hard lessons about the dangers that lurk on the network.”

Danger in Safe Waters
Most net-savvy users are now aware of the risks involved in browsing online. But the tendencies to delve into risky online activities are greater than most for young users, especially with their insatiable thirst for knowledge and untested sense of courage.

Searches
InterntetStatsToday states that 55% of young Internet users are more likely to do searches on a daily basis compared to adults. As reliable and convenient the use of search engines is, it is far from safe. Cybercriminals abuse search engines through SEO manipulation and SQL injections, such that kids searching for the wrong topic, clicking on the wrong search result, leads kids not to relevant information for their next papers, but to a compromised PC instead.

E-mail
ComScore Media reports that 89% of young users who use the Internet still use e-mail, making it a popular activity for young users. Just as much, email is a popular channel for malware distribution, creeping into users’ inboxes in the form of blended threats. Links to sites that lead to malware downloads, phishing sites, and others are usually distributed through spam.

Online Shopping
Online shopping has shaved off some time young users spend at the mall. With just a few clicks the transaction is finished. It isn’t hard to see why about 22.9% of young users make purchases through the Internet. This is despite raised concerns on the security in online shopping. Shoppers are common prey to scammers and phishers online. And even as shoppers try to take precaution, phishers always take schemes to a higher level to fool users. Even experienced buyers are not exempt, much more the young users who may be too excited and willing to exercise their rights as consumers.

Social Networking
An estimate of 61% of kids aged 13 to 17 have profiles in online social networks. The social network audience is teeming with young users, as popular social network MySpace deletes about 25,000 profiles a week, to discourage those who register to the network but fails to meet the 14-year-old minimum age limit. The engagement of young users in social networks has raised concern mainly because of the amount of information kids share in these networks. But this is not the only risks these kids face when engaging in social networks. Social networks are yet another malware vector. Popular social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter have been known to be abused by cybercriminals to spread malware.

Instant Messaging
Studies have shown that young users prefer instant messaging over e-mail. For them, the speed, lack of formality, and convenience of instant messaging offers so much more than the now conventional email. These same strong points however are the same things cybercriminals bank on, in distributing malware through instant messaging. With 15 million of youth actively using instant messaging, they serve as the perfect prey to IM-related malware schemes. Links sent through IM by strangers may strike the young user’s curiosity, and their decision to click on the link may lead them to trouble.

Now What?
Like Pandora’s Box, the Internet can bring both the good and bad stuff. The Internet is a place where young people can DISCOVER, CONNECT and CREATE (i.e. blog, post messages, chat, play games, create online profiles). While exciting, it also presents certain dangers.

For young users, proper guidance and reliable security solutions are their best defense, to protect themselves from malicious intent online. The Trend Micro Internet Safety for Kids and Families programme aims to enable and empower parents, teachers, and young people to make the Internet a safe and secure place for today’s youth. For more information and best practices tips, please visit http://us.trendmicro.com/us/about/gc/safefamilies/.