Base Level Cyber Welfare: Exit the High-Risk Zone
Here is the page dedicated to the Base Level of the Cyber Welfare Framework. It is structured as a constructive “wake-up call”: the goal is to make the user understand the urgency of the situation without paralysing them, by offering an immediate way out.
Being at the Base Level means sailing in the open sea during a storm without a life jacket. This is not a judgment on your abilities, but an objective snapshot of your current digital exposure: right now, the door to your private life is open, and anyone with bad intentions could walk right in.
Being at this level is a condition of maximum vulnerability, but it is also the starting point for a necessary transformation. Acknowledging that you have “blind spots” is the only way to start closing the gaps and protecting what you hold most dear: your data, your money, and your identity.
What the Base Level Is: An Urgent Diagnosis
The Base Level indicates that you have serious problems with online security and privacy. In this phase, the confidentiality of your personal data and the secrecy of your communications are at extremely high risk.
In summary: If you were to suffer an attack today, you would have neither the tools nor the readiness to defend yourself or recover from the damage.
The Base Level Profile
According to the Cyber Welfare Framework, this critical state is the result of a combination of three specific factors shared by those in this bracket:
| Dimension | Current Status | Meaning |
| Competence | Beginner | You have minimal knowledge of digital tools and their security settings. |
| Awareness | Unaware | You do not perceive the real dangers of the web and are not aware of the risks associated with your actions. |
| Behavior | Insecure | You habitually perform dangerous actions (weak passwords, impulsive clicks, excessive data sharing). |
Why is it dangerous to stay here?
Ignoring this situation exposes you to real and immediate consequences:
- Loss of privacy: Your conversations and files are not truly private.
- Financial exposure: Your accounts and credit cards are easy targets.
- Identity theft: Someone could act in your name, ruining your digital reputation.
How to start the change
Exiting the Base Level is your absolute priority. You don’t need to become a computer expert; you just need to start changing the riskiest habits.
- Stop and reflect: Every time the web asks you for a piece of data or suggests a link, ask yourself, “Why?”
- Start with the basics: Consult the first 5 recommendations of the Framework (Learn Area).
Secure your accounts: Change your main password and activate two-factor authentication where possible.