Like most, I have a very rich and fulfilling digital life. My smart phone is at hand 24×7 and I use apps to check weather and Facebook, bank, shop, scan real estate and even tell me if I have hung a picture straight. (Alas I am not a gamer.) I also do all of these things on my laptop.
However unlike most, I work in online security. So much like Angela in the critically acclaimed, single-season teen drama “My So-Called Life,” I do have a lot of angst around my digital life. (Note: if you haven’t seen the series, it is worth seeking out. Starring a teenage, pre-Homeland Claire Danes, this is a show from the mid-90s that actually holds up.)
On one hand I do worry that app and site developers haven’t built in smart-enough security or that one of the sites that stores my credit card and/or personal information isn’t keeping up with the evolving fraud landscape. On the other I get irrationally irritated if I am asked to re-authenticate or I can’t complete a transaction with a few clicks – even though I know EXACTLY why they are asking me to do so! It’s behavior worthy of a moody 15 year old.
So what do I do? First I assume that my information has already been compromised and keep an eye on my credit card and bank statements. Once I accepted that unfortunate fact, which not incidentally coincided with my joining a cybersecurity firm, it’s a matter of simply being smart about sharing personal information online.
And I am passionate about ensuring that other consumers do the same. After all, if the internet reverts to the Wild West from a security standpoint, I won’t have access to all of the apps and sites that make my digital life so rewarding.
Online security may be the Jordan Catalano of My So-Called [Digital] Life. (Watch the series – seriously.)
There are many proactive nontraditional things consumer-facing organizations can do to better protect their customers’ digital lives. Want to know more about you can keep up with the evolving fraud landscape? RSA has been featured in the London Time’s special interest report Fighting Fraud 2015. You should also follow us on @RSAFraud to stay up to date with the latest.
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