Cybersecurity leader Marissa Arbour has released a free Digital Safety Quick-Start Checklist designed to help everyday individuals reduce online risk without requiring technical expertise. The resource reflects Arbour's philosophy that cybersecurity should be clear, human, and practical, transforming complex security concepts into actionable steps anyone can complete in 15 minutes. The checklist addresses a growing problem where cyber risk manifests in daily life through identity theft, financial loss, and behavioral vulnerabilities.
Statistics show that one in five Americans has experienced identity theft at least once, with individual victims losing an average of $1,300 per cybercrime incident. More significantly, 74% of breaches involve human behavior rather than system failures, and over 60% of people reuse passwords across multiple accounts. "These numbers tell us the problem isn't technology," Arbour said. "It's habits. And habits can be changed." Drawing from Arbour's experience across fintech, banking, healthcare, and education sectors, the checklist focuses on the most impactful actions while avoiding technical language.
"Clarity is a security tool," she explained. "If people understand what to do, they're far more likely to do it." The resource includes a personal password and account review, device and update check, phishing awareness self-test, guide to setting up multi-factor authentication, and a one-page "digital reset" routine for monthly use. Arbour emphasizes that the checklist is designed to be approachable and practical, countering the perception that security training must be boring or intimidating. "Security training doesn't have to be boring," she said. "People learn better when it feels human and practical."
Users are encouraged to set a timer for 15 minutes, work through each section once without perfectionism, and pick one habit to improve immediately. The checklist addresses common mistakes people make, including waiting until something goes wrong to take action, reusing passwords for convenience, ignoring updates and notifications, assuming cybersecurity is only for businesses, and trying to fix everything at once rather than starting small. "Most mistakes happen when people rush or avoid the issue entirely," Arbour noted. "Slowing down changes outcomes." The resource is available for download at https://www.example.com/digital-safety-checklist, providing a tangible tool for individuals to build better digital habits through small, consistent actions.
