Step by Step Cyber Security With Consumer Reports

As people’s lives become more digital and they add more connected devices to their lives, their risks for identity theft, fraud, and other cyber-crime grows. Everything from computers to smart phones to baby monitors to fitness trackers can all introduce risks. 

The average person is often unaware of these risks, and so they are unprepared to manage them. To help address this issue, Consumer Reports, a nonprofit focused on consumer protection and education, has created the Security Planner. The site helps individuals create a personal plan for protecting themselves and their devices by asking them a series of questions about their devices and any security concerns they might have.  Based on the answers, the planner creates a checklist of steps to take to defend against the risks identified. While it can’t provide perfect security, it can increase people’s overall security.

In the episode of the IPA Payments Pod, we speak with Yael Grauer, the lead content creator for the planner, about how it was created, who it is designed to help, and how it works. We also talk about some of the best practices that people can follow while navigating cyberspace.  

The planner is a free resource, and one that companies can share with their customers if they want to provide resources on protecting against fraud.