The Role Of Innovation In Strengthening Personal Security Online

InnovationEnterprise TechThe Role Of Innovation In Strengthening Personal Security OnlineByDavid Henkin,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. David Henkin helps organizations and individuals innovate and grow.Follow AuthorJun 09, 2026, 09:00am EDTAs AI-driven scams and cyber threats advance, innovative technology helps individuals better protect themselves.gettyThe internet has become the operating system of modern life. We bank, shop, work, communicate, invest, learn and increasingly manage our health through digital platforms. Yet as our digital lives expand, so does the attack surface available to cybercriminals.With new tech innovations come new cyber risks, and not just for businesses. While data breaches affecting healthcare organizations or major businesses tend to make headlines, these events have an impact on millions of individuals. And on an individual level, issues as varied as using unsecured networks to poor password choices leave countless people exposed to cyber risk.Fortunately, even as bad actors use tech innovations to implement more sophisticated security threats, other innovations are helping strengthen personal security online. Advanced tools with user-focused protections are poised to help digital personal security become more proactive and better able to address today’s continually evolving hazards.Behavioral ‘Best Practices’ Often Not EnoughIn both personal and professional settings, internet users have been given long lists of risky behaviors to avoid in order to reduce their risk of a security breach. Do not click on suspicious links, especially in emails from unknown senders. Use different login credentials for your accounts. Use a strong password.Despite hearing these and other security tips over and over, an alarming number of people do not follow them. It is estimated that 78% of internet users use the same password for multiple accounts, with 52% using the same password for three or more acc...