May 16, 2009
May 17 marks the anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention and the creation of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). This year, to mark World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, the ITU Council has adopted the theme Protecting children in cyberspace.
Safety on the Internet is one of the areas handled by Q-CERT. Q-CERT, Qatar's center for information security, was created by the Supreme Council for Information and Communications Technology (ictQATAR) to safeguard and improve the security of information and communications systems. Q-CERT works with government agencies, businesses, and the citizens of Qatar to address cyber security risks, protect sensitive information, and ensure the safety of our children on the Internet.
One of Q-CERT's main objectives is to inculcate information security awareness within different groups of our society. Among the many ways of increasing awareness, one method is to get schools involved in cyber safety. Q-CERT held an art competition to reveal how well children understood online cyber threats. The goal was to learn whether children are aware of these threats, and children were encouraged to research the topic for use in their drawings. The hope is that the children will consider this information when they are online and will adapt their behavior accordingly. A number of schools participated, submitting hundreds of expressive drawings in this competition. The large response indicates that many children are aware of the online threats; however, the limited set of threats portrayed in the drawings indicates that further awareness is required.
Q-CERT decided to reward the five children who submitted the best drawings with laptop computers. The rest of the participants will receive anti-virus software, with a one year update subscription, as well as a special card containing information security safety tips. These gifts will be sent to schools soon. All of the submitted drawings have been uploaded to an online gallery. The five winning drawings appear in the top row of the first page.
Although there are potential online risks, there are many ways that you can protect yourself and your family that do not require extensive technical knowledge. For instance, parental control software allows parents to monitor and control their children's online practices—you can use it to limit children's time on the Internet, control which pages they can access, and track their chat activities and the invitations they get from their online contacts. Awareness does not end here; there are many issues that you should consider. These issues include the importance of anti-virus and anti-spyware software, strong password use, secure use of email and chat, principles of secure online shopping, and backing up files and photos.
Q-CERT has published a variety of English and Arabic documents that discuss many of these issues. There are also a number of other websites and blogs that provide information related to security in Arabic, and you can easily find them online. These topics are fundamental for using the Internet safely and allowing you and your family to enjoy the benefits these technologies bring to our lives.