Free Mobile App Measures Your Personal Cyber Risk

A new free mobile app continuously tracks the security of smartphone users and scores whether they are at low, medium, or high risk for a security incident or breach.

Cyber risk vendor Lucideus today rolled out the app for Android and iOS, called SAFE Me. Saket Modi, the company's CEO, says the SAFE Me score, based on the Security Assessment Framework for Enterprise (SAFE) developed jointly with MIT, ranges from 0 to 5, with 0 being a high risk for a breach and 5 signifying the highest level of security. The scores are based on a combination of factors, including device security posture, exposure on the Dark Web, and cybersecurity awareness based on courses and quizzes.

"We decided to come out with this because people may be tech-savvy, but they don't always know about the security of their devices or applications," says Modi. "Since something like 90% of breaches are caused by a human element, we've designed a solution that empowers consumers to easily monitor and understand their cyber risk across all their devices and the digital platforms they frequent such as Google, Twitter, or Facebook."

Jack Kudale, founder and CEO of Cowbell Cyber, points out that the human element always serves as the weakest link in any cyber protection program. "We welcome any initiative that brings cyber awareness to consumers, potentially helping businesses get a better grasp of their overall cyber risks if employee privacy concerns are properly handled," he says.

The app is the latest tool in this age of security scoring systems, most of which center around the security posture of businesses and organizations. Security experts warn that security and risk ratings of  also come with the risk of oversimplifying an organization's security posture, or a false sense of security, experts say. 

Upgrades

SAFE Me app comes in three flavors: Basic/Free for individuals, Enterprise, and Platinum. The Enterprise version - for companies - costs $36 a year per user and lets the user register five email IDs, while Enterprise also comes with unlimited cybersecurity awareness courses and an unlimited Deep- and Dark Web exposure scan.

SAFE Me interface

The high-end Platinum version costs $10,000 per year per user and has been designed for CEOs and top executives at companies. Platinum customers can use an unlimited number of email IDs and get personalized security training campaigns. The system also analyzes an executive's security across all his or her devices, including their mobile phone, digital watch, smart TV, or smart car.

"We teach executives how to think about security across all their devices so their communications can't be intercepted if they are at home or in the car," Modi explains. Top executives don't have to pay for the Platinum version to get access to Enterprise. For example, if a small company only wanted 10 licenses of Enterprise at $36 per year per user that would cost $360 annually.