In 2018, ESET in Slovakia, in cooperation with other companies, launched the Digital Skills initiative.As a member of Business Leaders Forum, an association of companies promoting corporate socialresponsibility, we wanted to show computer science teachers new ways of working with students (using the playful methods offered by Code.org) while presenting the importance of digital security.We believe that the quality of education influences the quality of life of individuals, families, andcommunities both in Slovakia and abroad. This is why we are concerned over the alarming state ofSlovak education system.
We support the development of 21st century skills, as well as personal development for the younger generation. In the Safer Kids Online initiative, our security experts cooperated with IT teachers and a child psychologist in developing the Digital Security Handbook for computer science teachers. We understand how important technology and digital skills are, as they will play a key role whenpeople want to find employment in the future. We organize regular activities to raise awarenessabout information security by focusing on the prevention of cybercrime among children andadolescents, offering direct support by educating and working with their teachers and parents.
Today, many people do have jobs which didn’t exist 20 years ago, and in the future, even more kidswill have jobs which do not exist yet. Most of them will involve digital skills and new technologies, some of them being used also in private life (communication, entertainment, etc.). With new greattools and technologies comes also new responsibilities. Probably one of the biggest challenges today is Digital Skills education. Together with Digital Skills, the big challenge also is Digital Securityeducation.
If everybody uses such technologies, then everybody must know the risks and how to handlesecurity incidents. Everybody knows what robbery and fraud is, what to do when my lock wasbroken, what to do when my credit card is stolen, how to talk to stranger in the street, etc.
Same rules must apply to the Digital Security. Everybody must know what terms like phishing,exploit, adware, spyware, etc. are, what to do when my data is stolen, what to do when mypassword is compromised, what to do when my device is attacked, etc.Device being not only computer or mobile phone, it can be intelligent car, fridge, bulb, door lock,surveillance/alarm system, etc. Moreover, it is not enough to educate in primary/secondary schools.Nowadays many adults, which had no chance to learn it, are facing the same challenge and are inneed of digital skills and digital security education.