Cyber Discovery warns of dangers of ‘re-data-ships’

A UK Government-funded cybersecurity programme is warning young people about the dangers of ‘re-data-ships’, after revealing nearly half (45%) of the people surveyed have shared passwords and PINs with boyfriends and girlfriends.

To halt the rising trend of these ‘re-data-ships’, Cyber Discovery has worked with its top security experts to create a guide for young people on how to keep personal data safe.

A ‘re-data-ship’ is when a young person shares personal data, such as PINs and passwords, with their partners and friends. Now, Cyber Discovery is warning young people against this, as it may lead to problems like hacking later in their lives.

Other research has also revealed that one in five 18 to 24 year-olds said they would feel comfortable sharing their date of birth with an organisation they didn’t know and 36% would share some personal data with an organisation they didn’t know when asked.

The study also found that 57% of people trust friends and family with their personal data – the same amount that would trust their bank.

The Cyber Discovery re-data-ship guide features 10 rules for young people to follow in order to protect their online security:

1. Do not have ‘re-data-ships’ – where you share personal data with friends or partners
2. Stay away from using your favourite musician or athlete’s name as your password – as well as your birthday, pet’s name etc.
3. Have different passwords for each site
4. Use a complex password alongside a password manager tool
5. Change your passwords regularly

Cyber Discovery is a Government-funded, free, extra-curricular programme designed to find, educate and inspire the next generation of exceptional cybersecurity experts and is open to 14-18 year-olds in the UK. It uses games, challenges and role-playing to teach the basics of cybersecurity to young people and encourages future careers in this area.

Students interested in the programme need to complete as many challenges as possible from the online assessment phase here by January 7 2019.

Creator of Cyber Discovery and cybersecurity expert, James Lyne, said: “Young people are taught about things like ‘stranger danger’ from a young age, but often we concentrate so much on our ‘enemies’ that we forget to think about our friends and partners, particularly when it comes to staying safe online.

“Friendships and relationships constantly change throughout a lifetime but those that start at a young age can be particularly susceptible to bad break-ups and fallings out. We need to teach young people about the importance of protecting their personal data and the risk of ‘re-data-ships’, as it will lead to greater protection later in life.

“Cybersecurity is a growing industry and it’s estimated that by 2022 there will be a shortage of 1.8 million cybersecurity professionals – which provides a massive opportunity for young people to get ahead in this remarkable and exciting career. It’s why we’re teaching young people the skills now, so they understand the dangers of sharing personal data, and to hopefully encourage them to pursue a cybersecurity career in the future.”