19 May 2011.
As Singaporeans get more tech-savvy, so are the online threats that await us! So, how do we protect ourselves from these threats? Well, that’s where a special group of SP students come in!
Ng Zi Kai and Yap Yao Ming, students from SP’s School of Digital Media and Infocomm Technology (DMIT), have been conducting cyber-wellness talks in secondary schools around Singapore to educate the increasingly tech-savvy generation of teenagers like you and me!
By Simon Koh Yuan Zhi
After receiving the chosen topics from the secondary schools, Zi Kai, Yao Ming and their fellow student presenters wasted no time in preparing for the presentation. Being informative and yet engaging at the same time is key to making the cyber-wellness talk a success as they seek to strike a balance between the two.
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| An engaging and informative presentation underway in Zhong Hua Secondary. |
The Metagame
Many of us rely on IT and computers for work and fun. They’re an integral part of our lives. However, although technology has helped us in many ways, there are many dangers too. That's why it is important to understand the dangers and learn how to protect ourselves against them.
Yao Ming said, “It is not just protecting yourself from evil doers. It is also to protect yourself from doing evil (without you knowing it)! An example would be the the act of mooching, whereby you use your neighbour's Internet network without their permission and knowledge. Do you know that it is illegal and you can be charged in court?”
Tools Of The Trade
Yao Ming and Zi Kai are students from SP’s Diploma in Infocomm Security Management where they learn the necessary skills to face and resolve online threats.
Zi Kai revealed, “We are taught how hackers think and act. With this knowledge, we can educate people to defend themselves against these threats.”
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| Talk at North View Secondary School. |
In addition, they learned presentation skills as well as technical knowledge such as computer law and ethical hacking skills (to know the main cause of the attack).
What’s The Situation?
While many Singaporeans are indeed getting more tech-savvy and well-informed about the Internet, Yao Ming feels that there are still many out there who make use of it without caution. Haphazard use of the Internet sometimes comes with a heavy price. Think online lottery scams and key-logging incidents that have caused vital personal information such as personal addresses and credit card numbers to be leaked.
Yao Ming affirmed, “I think people generally should have at least some basic knowledge on how to protect themselves. As for the tougher parts, that’s what we are here for.”
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| Educating the future generation, one school at a time. |
As companies and corporations all over the world begin to heavily integrate IT into their businesses, the demand for IT security experts inevitably increases.
Future careers from this course virtually (no pun intended!) stretches across every single field of work. These include IT security solution providers, auditing and consultancy firms, banking and financial institutions, and organisations that require IT security services in the public and private sectors.
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| A talk conducted by a SP student at St Patrick’s Secondary School. |
About DMIT
SP’s School of Digital Media and Infocomm Technology offers seven full-time diploma courses – Business Information Technology; Digital Animation; Digital Media; Infocomm Security Management; Information Technology; Music & Audio Technology; and Visual Effects & Motion Graphics.
Source: May Issue of SP Playworks magazine (Pages 184 – 185).
