VPN provider Surfshark has released what it calls the world’s first data vulnerability thermometer designed to inform users of their personal risk scores in data breaches.
According to Surfshark, the company’s Data Vulnerability Thermometer combines open-sourced FBI information and research algorithms to give users their personal risk score, possible specific cybercrimes and prevention tactics on the data points selected.
The company says an in-house developed methodology indicated connections between 50 data points and 20 cybercrimes. With the help of cybersecurity experts, each crime was connected with the data point combinations (from 2 to 4 data points) that can lead to the specific crime. The probability of becoming a victim of one particular cybercrime was measured by comparing the number of specific cybercrime events to the whole number of cases possible.
Data points include email addresses, phone numbers, social media profiles, IP addresses, credit card information, social security numbers, financial data and basic personal information like name, signature, address and passwords.
The tool also includes descriptions, typology, tips and statistics of 20 different internet crime offenses aimed at particular users. The resource also has coverage of statistics on cybercrime trends and patterns, including global cybercrime density statistics, its financial impact, growth of cybercrime costs and more.
“The Data Sensitivity Thermometer was developed keeping in mind data breach victims, of which we’ve seen more and more nowadays,” says Vytautas Kaziukonis, CEO of Surfshark, in a statement. “When people find out their personal information has been hacked, it often results in panic as to what’s the worst that can happen. Our tool seeks to alleviate this worry by giving people answers with fact-based information and realistic probabilities regarding their specific case.”
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