According to CNBC, a writer discovered their email, multiple passwords, and a previous home address were circulating on the dark web after enrolling in a credit monitoring service. This personal wake-up call, against a backdrop where the FBI reported Americans lost $16.6 billion to cybercrime in 2024, prompted them to adopt six specific security measures. They now use a credit freeze with the three major bureaus, a password manager from Aura, multi-factor authentication everywhere, paid antivirus from Avira, a VPN from Private Internet Access, and strict social media lockdowns. The entire setup process took less than a day, which they argue is far less time than recovering from full-blown identity theft would require.
The Real Wake-Up Call
Here’s the thing about that opening anecdote: it’s incredibly common now. We’re all numb to breach notifications. But actually seeing your own old passwords and address in some dark web dump? That cuts through the noise. The writer’s initial thought—”who would target me?”—is the exact mentality that gets people into trouble. It’s not about being a target; it’s about being low-hanging fruit. If your data is in a breached database from some random app or retailer, you’re in the pool. And cybercriminals have automated nets. The FBI’s $16.6 billion figure isn’t from sophisticated heists against billionaires. It’s largely from millions of these small, automated crimes against regular people.
Tools vs. Habits
What I like about this list is that it mixes tools with behavioral changes. A password manager and a VPN are software you buy. But freezing your credit and shutting up on social media are free habits. The credit freeze is arguably the most powerful item here. It’s a bureaucratic pain to set up manually with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, but it basically puts a padlock on your financial identity. No new credit lines can be opened. Period. That stops the most damaging form of identity theft cold. And the social media advice isn’t just paranoia—those “security questions” (first pet, street you grew up on) are often just publicly available facts on your profile.
The Upsell Reality
Now, let’s be a bit skeptical. This is on CNBC Select, which earns commissions from affiliate links. The recommendations for Aura, Avira, and others aren’t neutral. Are they good services? Probably. But you can achieve similar protection with other combos. A password manager like Bitwarden has a great free tier. Malwarebytes (mentioned as a former free tool) is still solid. The key is moving from *free and lazy* to *organized and proactive*, whether you spend money or not. Paying for a suite can simplify things, sure. But the core idea is layering defenses: make it annoying to get into your accounts (MFA), make stolen passwords useless (password manager), and make opening new accounts in your name impossible (credit freeze).
It’s About Layers, Not Perfection
Basically, you can’t make yourself hack-proof. If a major company holding your data gets breached, you’re compromised again. The goal is damage control. Think of it like a car alarm and a steering wheel lock. A pro thief might still get in, but you’re making it so much harder that they’ll move on to the unlocked car next door. The writer’s journey from reusing passwords everywhere to this layered setup is the real takeaway. It’s not a tech expert’s regimen; it’s a scared normal person’s response. And that’s something anyone can relate to. So, is your credit frozen yet? That’s probably step one.
