Besides antivirus software, the cybersecurity sector has mainly focused on business clients, leaving typical online users to fend for themselves. Perhaps the most at-risk demographic is older individuals, who may not be as familiar with the internet and smartphones.
Sisters Catherine Karow and Ellie King Karow founded ZoraSafe, a startup with the goal of providing assistance. Their plan involves developing an app that not only shields older users from fraudsters and hackers but also uses gamified microlearning to educate them on how to remain secure, as Catherine and Ellie mentioned to TechCrunch before the TechCrunch Disrupt conference, where ZoraSafe will participate in Startup Battlefield.
The app hasn’t been released yet, but Catherine and Ellie anticipate its launch within the next month. They stated that the cost would be $12.99 per month for individual subscriptions, with a higher price for family and group subscription options.
Catherine explained during a phone conversation that the initial version of the app will include features like a mode to check QR codes for malicious software or phishing attempts, the option to forward questionable SMS messages and emails to ZoraSafe for assessment, and a function to report a known scam or threat to the app, adding it to a database to benefit other users.
Catherine noted, “We want to encourage the social sharing of scams, so we can quickly alert the entire Zora network. This way, if one person spots a scam, we can ensure that everyone in that community receives immediate protection.”
Future iterations will also feature the ability for users to have ZoraSafe join a questionable phone call, enabling the company’s AI to identify if it is a scam or a deepfake. However, Catherine clarified that the app will not listen to or record any conversations.
Ellie stated that once the app detects a threat, a chat window will open, detailing the threat to the user and teaching them to recognize and handle comparable scenarios in the future.
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She added, “The main goal is to foster resilience, so even when you’re not directly using the app, you’re more vigilant when interacting online.
According to Ellie, the AI engine is designed with user privacy in mind, conducting 85% of its processing on the user’s device, while only 15% is done in the cloud, which she assured would be “stripped of your personal information before it’s sent from your device.”
Catherine mentioned that they are also considering developing an “NFC sticker” for phone cases that will enable users to quickly access the app if they receive a deepfake call or if they happen to fall and need to notify their caretakers. This is among the strategies they are considering to circumvent iOS’s limits on apps tracking activity in other apps. Another strategy involves including a “Share to ZoraSafe” option in the iOS menu, enabling users to forward emails or text messages to the company’s systems.
The sisters also mentioned their long-term plans to expand ZoraSafe to include children, collaborate with educational institutions, and offer the app in other languages, with Spanish as the first addition.
To discover more about ZoraSafe and explore a multitude of other businesses, hear their presentations, and attend guest lectures on four separate stages, come to Disrupt from October 27 to 29, in San Francisco. Click here for more information.
