Silicon Valley veterans have formed a new company to help protect consumers online. Through 3GO Security, Inc., founders Chris Logan (CEO) and Alex Ruiz (COO) are aiming to implement proactive, personalized cybersecurity measures to prevent attacks before they happen. Unlike most personal cybersecurity services, which address damage after a breach, 3GO Security’s human-led approach goes beyond the limits of tech-based solutions, giving consumers individualized recommendations and assistance from cybersecurity specialists.

Recent data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shows how vulnerable Americans are online as identity theft and fraud techniques grow increasingly sophisticated. With U.S. cybercrime losses exceeding $4.2 billion in 2020, the FBI received 791,790 complaints of suspected internet crime (an increase of 300,000 over 2019). The lion’s share of these losses are preventable, if best practices are used.

Logan’s mother was hacked in 2020, becoming one of those 791,790 victims. Even with decades of experience working online, Logan spent countless hours tracking the source of the attack, plugging the security holes and addressing the damage with banks, health insurers and credit card companies. 

“That experience helped me realize that there’s no one-size-fits-all method for protecting yourself online. You’ll find a lot of advice and products out there, but none of it helps people identify what’s actually important in their specific situation,” said Logan. “Truly understanding the personal aspect of personal cybersecurity, we developed a protection strategy that could be customized based on each person’s individual risk profile.”

The 3GO process starts with an assessment of each person’s needs. A personalized plan is generated and 3GO cybersecurity specialists partner with customers to ensure plans are implemented successfully. Customers can get cybersecurity advice and support around-the-clock when questions and emergencies arise. 

“We believe the key to effective cybersecurity is addressing the problem before it happens and taking the time to walk customers through the steps required to be protected,” said Ruiz. “Our customers aren’t just interacting with computers or some plug-and-play model. Instead, we’re having real conversations with people and developing solutions based on their unique needs. No one else is doing that right now.”

The company recently completed its first full trial phase and plans a consumer launch in early 2022. 

To help in their mission, 3GO established a security advisory board consisting of experts who’ve led enterprise cybersecurity initiatives, including: 

• Dr. Kimberlee Ann Brannock, Senior Security Advisor, Hewlett Packard (Boise, Idaho)
• Charlie Kawaskai, formerly Chief Technology Officer, PacStar, currently President and CEO, Software Diligence Services (Portland, Ore.)
• David McLeod, Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer, Cox Enterprises (Atlanta, Ga.)
• Quinn Shamblin, formerly Chief Security Architect, TransUnion; currently Founder and Chief Consultant, Mobius (Minneapolis-St. Paul) 
• Mike Wells, formerly Special Agent, Oregon Department of Justice and Task Force Officer, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); currently Assistant Director for Security, Oregon Lottery (Salem, Ore.)

Additional advisors or board members include:

• John Soloman, Vice President and General Manager of Chrome OS, Google (Mountain View, Calif.)
• Steve Weinstein, Director, H4XLabs (Palo Alto, Calif.)
• Larry Zulch, CEO, Invinity Energy Systems plc (San Francisco, Calif.)