It's a problem...

People don't care about cyber hygiene. They'll reuse passwords, write down said passwords on sticky notes, and stick 'em to the bottom of their desk! They'll connect to public wifi without the use of a VPN, they'll visit sketchy sites and download content without verification, and the list of transgressions goes on and on! People know they're being unsafe, but they don't care. How do we know this? Because we are all guilty of bad cyber hygiene in one way or another. We aren't preaching from our crystal towers of cybernetic cleanliness, we are right there with you. 

Overwhelmed and apathetic, how do we make you care? How do we make ourselves care? The solution is SkrubHub.


scary stuff...

Poor cyber hygiene can leave your digital devices and online accounts vulnerable to cyber attacks, such as hacking, phishing, and malware infections.

A lack of regular backups and failure to update software and security patches can lead to the loss of important data, including personal and financial information.

Weak passwords, reused passwords, and failure to secure personal information can result in identity theft, which can lead to financial losses and damage to your credit score.

Cyber attacks and data breaches can damage your reputation and the reputation of your business or organization, leading to loss of trust among customers, partners, and stakeholders.

Cyber attacks and data breaches can result in financial losses, including lost revenue, legal fees, and fines for non-compliance with data protection regulations.

Cyber attacks can cause operational disruptions, including downtime, loss of productivity, and delays in delivering products and services.

Failure to comply with data protection regulations can result in legal and regulatory consequences, including fines, penalties, and legal action from affected parties.

Cyber attacks and data breaches can also have psychological effects on individuals, including stress, anxiety, and loss of trust in technology and online platforms.

As we become a more tech-oriented society, cyber hygiene is more important than ever! People need to keep themselves safe online, and they can do so by practicing safe cyber hygiene. 

If people don't practice good cyber hygiene, they are putting themselves at risk. The seriousness can vary from being temporarily locked out of an account, to having your money or identity stolen.  For some, it can just be an inconvenience that'll be resolved in a week; for others, it's an attack that'll have consequences that can last for months, years, or even a lifetime. It's scary to think about. 

Everyone who engages online — anonymous or not  — must practice cyber hygiene to stay safe. It doesn't matter the age of the individual or the size of the company... everyone is a potential victim. Even someone who only has a single email for a single account is at risk. Believing " it won't happen to me " simply because, for example, you believe you have nothing of value, is called optimism bias. Poor cyber hygiene makes one vulnerable to attack.

DESIGN THINKING PROCESS

The first objective in designing a solution is to understand what we are trying to solve. This gives our team the ability to hone in on our solution and naturally let everything come into play. That is why our team's first steps were to understand the following.

THINKING LIKE A DESIGNER

We identified our target audience: anyone else who struggles with cyber hygiene — us included. It's difficult to stay clean and follow all of the recommended "SAFE" online practices. We want to curb this apathetic epidemic; help them to learn and care about cyber hygiene in a fun, safe, and friendly environment. So we made that environment: SkrubHub. 

Within the design thinking process, there are certain human-centered design mindsets that apply to different solutions. Our platform is focused on the mindset of Innovation Is For Everyone; everyone is a creative problem-solver!  On Skrubhub, anyone and everyone can come forward to share their ideas. Another mindset that applies to our solution is the Empathetic and Human-Centered mindset; through empathy, a human-focused solution can be created.  SkrubHub is all about empathy and being human-centered by fostering a creative environment that promotes innovation and collaboration. 

BUILDING EMPATHY

It was easy for us to empathize with the cyber unhygienic; we struggle with the same issues and have the same cyber-pains.

Talking to others only reinforced this idea: people either don't know, don't care, or both. It's inconvenient to care. If it's a chore for people who love computers, it's a chore for everyone. So... how do we make people care? We make keeping yourself clean fun and easy. We offer people a place to share creative ideas and inspire each other to stay clean online.

While the target demographic of SkrubHub is kids, teens, and young adults, absolutely anyone and everyone can join! And they should join! SkrubHub is judgment free and made accessible so anyone can understand. Anyone who uses the Internet, young or old, should be educated in cyber hygiene so they can keep themselves safe.