While firewalls, encryption, and other tech defences bolster an organisation's cybersecurity, many data breaches still originate from an unexpected source: human mistakes. Whether employees choose a weak password, fall for a clever phishing scam, or carelessly click a malicious link, their actions pose a serious and often overlooked risk to overall organisational cybersecurity.
Human error is considered one of the primary causes of data breaches today. This article will explore how human error contributes to cybersecurity breaches and outline practical strategies to mitigate these risks.
Humans are fallible and make mistakes, which allows cyber attackers to exploit vulnerabilities. The following section explores some common human errors in cybersecurity.
The longer and more complex the password, the harder it is for hackers to break in. People need access to plenty of apps to work. Those apps have private information about the business, customers, and coworkers. However, people often choose weak, easy-to-guess passwords or write them down as unsecured. Another common mistake is to use the same password across websites and apps. This also greatly jeopardizes the security of data. Employees must be educated on good password hygiene. They must be guided on how to choose the best and strongest passwords and also be advised to use secure password managers.
Every business relies on different software to get stuff done. As companies boost their security, hackers realize going after third-party programmes is a good way to sneak past outside protections. Another common cause of data leaks is "shadow IT". This is when employees download apps without IT even knowing.
If your people aren't aware of the dangers of cyber crime, they can easily fall for scams. All it takes is one accidental click on a weird link or attachment for viruses to slip in. Then, who knows what might happen; will all your files be locked up until you pay a ransom? Will personal or financial information get stolen? The consequences of a cyber attack, that might start as a common phishing scam, are unimaginable - in terms of the monetary impact, the operational downtime and the reputational damage.
Being careless is a significant cause of security problems, often leading to unintended and potentially severe consequences. For instance, accidentally emailing private information to the wrong person can result in sensitive data falling into the hands of unauthorised individuals. Publicly sharing information that should remain private, such as confidential business strategies or personal employee details, can expose an organisation to competitive disadvantages or legal liabilities. Additionally, failing to use "blind carbon copy" (BCC) when emailing a group allows all recipients to see each other's email addresses, which not only breaches privacy but also opens the door to phishing attacks and spam. Such oversights, though seemingly minor, can have a ripple effect, compromising the security and integrity of your organisation’s data and communications. Therefore, it is crucial to foster a culture of attentiveness and responsibility among employees to mitigate these risks.
The following section outlines practical strategies to reduce human error in cybersecurity.
Mandatory security awareness training for managers and team leaders helps employees understand emerging cyber threats and spot social engineering techniques. Training should cover password security, device security, data protection policies, data security controls, and how to identify and report phishing attempts or other suspicious activity.
Additionally, regular internal audits can help identify policy gaps or non-compliance issues. They also assess how effectively training programs are improving security awareness over time. Addressing recurring human errors through process changes is key.
Strong multifactor authentication, access controls, and account monitoring limit damage caused by stolen or weak credentials. Single sign-on systems and just-in-time access controls further reduce risks. Enforce secure configurations for remote access VPNs and encrypt mobile devices.
Restrict data access based on job roles and functions. Limit what employees can access or download to only what they need to perform their duties. This reduces the risk of data leaks even if credentials are compromised.
Companies should classify data as public, internal, confidential, or secret. For each kind, guidelines should clearly state how workers should handle, send, store, and dispose of the data. Guidelines on properly sanitising or destroying media containing sensitive data, such as paper documents or digital storage, help prevent accidental data leaks from improper disposal.
Additionally, be clear that all new programmes require approval before installation. Developers regularly fix bugs, but if people don't update, they could use versions with known vulnerabilities. Ensure the employees regularly update their programmes.
Leveraging technology alone is insufficient to protect against the ever-evolving cyber threat landscape. It's imperative to have a human-centric approach to address the root causes of human error and behaviour undermining cybersecurity. Ongoing awareness training, access controls, audits, and data protection are critical complements to prevent, detect, and respond to breaches enabled by human mistakes. Organisations can significantly reduce their risk profile with diligence from this leading threat.