In cybersecurity, the persistent threat that often looms unexpectedly is human error. Despite technological advances and sophisticated security measures, these unintentional actions by company employees remain the leading causes of significant breaches.
Below, we explore why human error is often the weak link in cybersecurity. We present simple steps to address it and improve businesses’ security against cyber risk.
Human error: the weak link in cybersecurity
Burnout and stress
The often hectic pace of the workplace, compounded by the demands of constant connectivity and remote work, is an increasingly common cause of burnout. When this state of fatigue and stress sets in, employees are more likely to make mistakes. They may inadvertently click on malicious links or carelessly disclose sensitive or confidential information.
Unclear safety rules
Companies’ IT security policies are often complex, making them difficult to understand for employees lacking specific technology skills. In addition, these rules are usually the result of changes over time and can lose consistency and clarity. Unfortunately, these rules can be misinterpreted or ignored without clearer, more straightforward communication. Companies are then highly exposed to risks as employees more or less follow the instructions given.
Lack of security awareness
Many companies are making efforts to raise awareness among employees about cybersecurity. However, many organizations still underestimate the importance of this type of ongoing training. These training courses are not a priority, and this annual training or refresher course is not at the top of the formalized and necessary needs. Employees are then poorly informed or poorly informed. They are, therefore, more likely to fall into recent or common traps, such as phishing, and to compromise the security of the company and its confidential data.
Improving Cybersecurity in Business: 5 Simple Steps
Companies still have simple means to strengthen cybersecurity and reduce the risks associated with human error. They can implement simple measures that remain effective. Here are five that can be implemented relatively quickly and are all cost-effective.
Establish clear and accessible security policies.
Simple and easy-to-understand IT security policies are essential to guide the behaviours of every category of employee. Companies must, therefore, ensure that these policies are easily accessible, transparent, written in plain language, and understandable by people who are not technically inclined. They must also be regularly updated to reflect the latest developments in cyber threats and present best practices.
Provide regular cybersecurity training.
Investing in ongoing cybersecurity training should become a must for every company. This allows employees to be regularly aware of current threats and best security practices. These training sessions should be interactive and practical: they should be adapted to the different levels of technical expertise of employees and their level of risk exposure to maximize their effectiveness.
Use a VPN to secure network connections.
A virtual private network (VPN) creates a secure tunnel for online communications, keeping sensitive data safe from prying eyes. Businesses should encourage employees to use a VPN, especially when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks or working remotely, to help keep company information more secure. They’ll benefit from encrypted data exchanges and remote server addresses, protecting their actual IP address and providing true privacy. The best VPN deals offer additional tools like suspicious links and malicious site detection.
Implement a robust password management policy.
Weak or shared passwords are a significant security vulnerability for businesses and organizations. They are often the result of lax policies or poorly understood guidelines. However, every company should be able to impose password complexity requirements and encourage the use of password managers. In this way, companies can significantly reduce the risks associated with data breaches.
Establishing a culture of safety
In companies, IT security is too often the exclusive business of the IT team, which is a mistake. On the contrary, we must encourage a culture of security that spreads throughout the company. Each employee must be aware of their role in protecting the company’s data: to do this, IT security must be included in each job description and ensure that it is taken into account in annual individual and collective objectives. This is the price that organizations can pay to strengthen their security posture significantly.
While cybersecurity threats may seem impossible, it is essential to recognize that human error is the primary cause of failures that can cost businesses reputation and money. However, by adopting simple but effective measures to educate, train and equip employees, they can significantly reduce their exposure to risks and, at the same time, increase their resilience to digital threats.
