🔄 Last updated: March 2026. This checklist stays current as threats evolve. Bookmark this page and check back regularly.

🎭 Your Digital Identity

There is already a version of you assembled from your scattered data. These steps give the people who know you a way to tell the difference.

Agree a family code word, and never send it by text or emailThree seconds of audio is enough to clone a voice, and about seven out of ten people cannot tell a clone from the real thing. The code word is what settles it. Make one rule: any urgent request for money gets a callback on a number you already haveNot the number that called you. Hang up and dial the one already in your phone. Remove your date of birth from every public profileOne of the most widely used identity verification points there is, and the birthday post confirms it every year. Replace your voicemail greeting with the automated oneA personal greeting is your own voice, saying your own name, to anyone who dials and waits. Go Deeper →

🔒 Identity Lockdown

Your personal data is already out there. These steps limit how criminals can use it.

Freeze your credit at all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion)Free by law. Takes ~15 minutes per bureau. This is the single most important step. Freeze Innovis, the fourth credit bureauA real credit bureau that most people have never heard of. Free freeze at innovis.com. Freeze NCTUE and ChexSystemsNCTUE covers phone, utility and pay-TV accounts. ChexSystems is what a bank checks before opening an account in your name. A frozen credit file stops neither. Set up IRS Identity Protection PINPrevents someone from filing a tax return in your name. Go Deeper →

💳 Digital Wallet

Move away from physical cards to tokenized payments.

Switch to digital wallet payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay)Tokenized transactions are 35% less likely to be fraudulent. Enable biometric authentication for all transactions Go Deeper →

🏦 Bank Account Security

Detect fraud the moment it happens.

Enable transaction alerts on all accountsKnow immediately when money moves. Set alerts for any transaction above a small threshold. Set up new device login notifications Go Deeper →

🔑 Password Security

Passwords are dead. Replace them with something better.

Install and use a password manager (1Password, Bitwarden, Dashlane)Generate unique passwords for every account. Never reuse passwords again. Enable app-based MFA on all critical accounts (email, banking, social)Use an authenticator app like Google Authenticator — NOT SMS. Go Deeper →

🎯 Phishing Defense

The most dangerous threat is the one you don't see coming.

Never click links in unsolicited messages — navigate directly to sitesAlways type the URL yourself or use a saved bookmark. Verify sender identity before acting on any urgent request Go Deeper →

☁ Cloud & Device Security

Your data should survive even if your device doesn't.

Enable automatic cloud backup on all devices (iCloud, Google One, OneDrive) Enable full-disk encryption and Find My Device on all phones and laptops Go Deeper →

🌐 Safe Browsing

Public WiFi, fake hotspots, and invisible trackers are everywhere.

Install a reputable VPN and use it on all devicesEncrypts your traffic so networks can't see what you're doing. Set up DNS filtering on home network (Cloudflare 1.1.1.3 or OpenDNS) Go Deeper →

📱 Social Media Privacy

Every post is reconnaissance for criminals.

Audit and lock down privacy settings on all platformsWho can see your posts, friends list, and location? Remove personal identifying information from public profiles Go Deeper →

🦠 Child Online Safety

Children face unique digital threats.

Freeze your children's credit before they open accountsChildren are prime targets because no one checks their credit for years. Have the sextortion and online predator conversation with teenagersThey need to know: never share intimate images, come to you immediately if threatened. Go Deeper →

🛡 Family Cyber Shield

Build a verification system that protects your entire family.

Establish a family verification passphrase for emergenciesA code word only your family knows to verify identity on unexpected calls. Set up account monitoring on elderly parents' accounts Create a mandatory pause protocol for urgent financial requestsAlways verify through a separate trusted contact before sending money. Go Deeper →

🦸 Cyber Insurance

Your homeowner's insurance doesn't cover digital threats.

Research and purchase personal cyber insurance ($10-30/month)Covers identity theft recovery, legal fees, and financial losses your bank won't. Go Deeper →

💼 Solopreneur Security

If you run a business of one, you are the whole company. There is no IT department coming.

Put a hardware key or passkey on the email your business runs onEmail is the master key. Every password reset and account recovery runs through it. Check for mail forwarding rules, filters and recovery addresses you did not createChanging your password does not evict an attacker. These back doors survive it. Use a business email separate from your personal one Alert on payout bank account changes by push notification, not email Remove contractor access the day they stop working with you Go Deeper →

📅 Stay Current

Security is not a one-time task.

Review this checklist every 90 daysSet a calendar reminder on your phone. Security threats evolve constantly. Update security measures as new threats emerge

This checklist is from You're Already a Target™ by Corey White.
The book goes deeper into every item above — the why, the how, and the stories behind the threats.

This is the full map. Most of it will not apply to you. Remi™ finds which of these items actually matter for your situation, puts them in order, and walks you through them one at a time.

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Master Security Checklist