Five Hidden Cyber Risks Lurking on Kids’ Devices (and the 5-Minute Fixes)
Your child is sitting at the dining room table doing homework. Maybe a laptop is open. Their phone lights up every few minutes. It looks harmless, maybe normal, even.
But it only takes one click.
Maybe this is surprising or not, but today’s kids spend an average of 7–9 hours per day on screens, according to Common Sense Media. And while most parents, like myself, worry about social media drama or too much gaming, I understand that the bigger risks are the quiet ones like the settings left unchanged, the updates ignored, the small digital habits that create big vulnerabilities.
Here’s the good news: most of these cyber risks are easy to fix. In fact, each one can be reduced in about five minutes.
Below are five hidden cyber risks lurking on kids’ devices and what you can do about them NOW!
Default Privacy Settings Are Wide Open
Most apps are not designed with maximum privacy turned on; they are designed for engagement and data collection.
So, when your child downloads a new app, creates a gaming account, or joins a social platform, their profile may automatically be public. Location sharing may be enabled, and data tracking may be active just by default. According to FTC reports, over 60% of popular kids’ apps collect personal data, including location, browsing behavior, and device identifiers.
The Risk:
- Strangers viewing profiles
- Location tracking
- Data collection for marketing or worse
The 5-Minute Fix:
- Open the privacy settings together.
- Set profiles to “Private.”
- Turn off precise location sharing.
- Disable unnecessary permissions (microphone, contacts, camera access where not needed).
Gaming Chat Connects Kids to Strangers
Online games are today’s playgrounds. Roblox, Fortnite, Minecraft, and countless others allow kids to chat, and often with anyone.
Voice chat has made this even more immersive and riskier. While most interactions are harmless, gaming platforms have increasingly become spaces where strangers initiate contact with children.
The danger isn’t just inappropriate conversation. It can include:
- Grooming attempts
- Dangerous links shared in chat
- Social engineering (tricking kids into sharing personal info)
The 5-Minute Fix:
- Switch chat settings to “Friends Only.”
- Disable voice chat if not necessary.
- Review your child’s friend list monthly.
- Teach one simple rule: Never click links shared in game chat.
Weak Passwords
Ask most kids about their passwords and you’ll likely hear something simple: a pet’s name plus “123” or the same password used across multiple platforms. The problem here is, if one account gets breached, they all do.
More than 80% of data breaches are linked to weak or reused passwords. And while we often think about adult accounts being targeted, children’s accounts are valuable too, especially when connected to parent’s payment methods. Children are also prime targets for identity theft. In fact, child identity fraud often goes undetected for years.
The Risk:
- Account takeovers
- Stolen payment information
- Long-term identity theft
The 5-Minute Fix:
- Create passphrases instead of passwords (three random words strung together).
- Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible.
- Consider installing a family password manager.
Outdated Devices and Apps
Update notifications are easy to ignore. They pop up at inconvenient times. They interrupt games. They require restarts. So often times kids click “Remind Me Later.”
But these updates aren’t just cosmetic or for user experience; they patch known security vulnerabilities and weaknesses that hackers already understand. When devices run outdated software, they become easy targets for:
- Malware
- Ransomware
- Data leaks
- Spyware
The 5-Minute Fix:
- Turn on automatic updates for devices and apps.
- Delete unused apps (each one is a potential entry point).
- Restart devices weekly to ensure updates are installed properly.
This may be the simplest and most powerful protection step available.
Oversharing Personal Information (Without Even Realizing It)
Most kids would never post their home address online. But they might post:
- A birthday countdown
- A photo in a team jersey
- A back-to-school picture with the school’s name visible
- A screenshot that reveals their username
Nearly 50% of teens report sharing their location online, often without realizing how accessible that information becomes. Even photos contain data that can reveal where they were taken if geotagging is enabled. Criminals don’t need full details; they can piece together fragments.
The Risk:
- Identity theft
- Targeted scams
- Physical safety concerns
The 5-Minute Fix:
- Turn off photo geotagging in device settings.
- Review older public posts together.
- Create a simple “No Sharing Rule”:
- No school names
- No home address
- No schedules
- No travel plans in real time
Digital awareness is a skill that can be taught.
Small Fixes, Big Protection
The biggest cyber risks on your child’s device aren’t always obvious; they’re often invisible and built into default settings and everyday habits.
The good news? They’re preventable.
You don’t need to monitor every message or hover over every click. You just need smart guardrails:
- Strong passwords
- Private settings
- Restricted chat
- Automatic updates
- Clear sharing boundaries
Don’t have 25 minutes? Take 10 minutes tonight and implement at least two of these fixes, and you can dramatically reduce your child’s exposure to cyber threats.
Need help? Register with the National Cybersecurity Center to access Cyber Alerts, tools, and step-by-step guidance that help you protect your kids online, with confidence, not fear.
The National Cybersecurity Center (NCC) is a nonprofit organization reimagining the relationship between humans and technology to create a safer digital world. Chartered by law in 2016, the National Cybersecurity Center unites communities, industry, academia, and government to provide tailored awareness, knowledge, and solutions to individuals and organizations, empowering them to safely navigate the digital world. From emerging technologies to everyday online safety, the National Cybersecurity Center is shaping the future of cybersecurity by ensuring that every person has the opportunity to participate securely in our connected world.
