When implementing new risk management strategies, most organizations focus on strengthening their systems and supporting technology. This focus on creating more resilient digital surfaces makes sense since these areas are where cybercriminals often exploit the most vulnerabilities.
However, businesses also face a significant threat that isn’t always easy to detect or predict: the human element. Regardless of how advanced modern-day cybersecurity solutions are, human operators still remain susceptible to many cyber threats. Whether it’s falling victim to social engineering attacks or not following certain security policies and procedures, employees can unknowingly (or knowingly) put an organization at increased risk of attacks.
When implementing various safeguards to improve the effectiveness of your cybersecurity defenses, it’s important to understand the risks associated with the human element and effectively address them.
Why Employees Are Often an Organization’s Largest Security Risk
All the decisions that we make each day – whether in or outside of this office – are shaped by our own inherent cognitive biases. This happens on a subconscious level, without us even knowing. These biases often lead us to be more trusting or confident in our decisions or abilities, even if it means putting ourselves in riskier situations.
When it comes to cybersecurity planning, specific cognitive biases can inadvertently create new vulnerabilities within a business. If left unchecked, these can quickly become prime targets for cybercriminals. Attackers will leverage sophisticated social engineering tactics designed to manipulate our own human psychology and exploit certain tendencies.
Phishing schemes, for example, prey on individuals’ natural curiosity, such as when opening email attachments or clicking on links without verifying their sources. Cybercriminals also leverage human emotions like fear or FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) to push individuals to act impulsively, inadvertently putting themselves and the businesses they work for at more risk.
Identifying Employee-Related Security Risks
Companies often acknowledge inherent risks associated with their growing infrastructures. Their typical response to this might involve increased investments in more robust security technologies or stricter access control measures.
However, businesses should also prioritize helping their employees become “human firewalls” as well. This all starts with identifying and addressing common human-driven risk factors, such as:
- Poor Password Use: Employees often need access to multiple systems or online services. However, having to remember multiple login credentials for different platforms can be overwhelming for many people. As a result, many employees may opt to use easy-to-remember usernames and passwords. However, this can pose a considerable security risk if not properly addressed.
- Social Engineering Attacks – Unlike advanced security measures like next-generation firewalls (NGFW) and AI-powered security solutions, employees don’t have built-in defense mechanisms against cyber threats. Cybercriminals exploit this vulnerability, recognizing that company employees often present the easiest entry point before attempting to compromise company systems directly. Social engineering tactics are highly effective methods for acquiring login credentials and other sensitive data that can be used to initiate larger-scale attacks against organizations.
- Lack of Awareness – Lack of employee awareness and understanding regarding cyber threats and safe online practices can be another security issue for organizations. Many employees may not fully recognize the various consequences of their actions, such as clicking on phishing links, using weak passwords, or sharing sensitive information.
- Insider Threat Potential – When it comes to system security, businesses need to be aware of the potential for internal risks. These risks can come from various sources, including current employees, past employees, and third-party partners. Whether intentional or unintentional, internal risks can pose significant challenges for businesses, as they are often more difficult to detect and contain than external threats.
Building a Security-First Culture
When developing your business’s risk management strategies, it’s important to recognize that cybersecurity isn’t just the responsibility of the IT department. Every individual in the organization plays a crucial role in establishing and maintaining a secure environment.
To help emphasize the importance of this shared responsibility and ensure your business adheres to best security practices, consider following the strategies listed below:
Provide Effective Cybersecurity Education to Employees
While cybercriminals can pose a significant threat, many cybersecurity risks stem from unintentional employee actions. This often occurs due to a simple lack of awareness or insufficient cybersecurity training.
Organizations should prioritize regular employee education and focus on best security practices. This includes promoting safer protocols for managing personal login credentials, accessing email, and reporting suspicious online activity once discovered.
Regular security training sessions across all departments help to reinforce best practices and emphasize each employee’s role when safeguarding sensitive information. This proactive approach minimizes the risk of successful cyberattacks and is important to help protect the data privacy of all employees.
Focus on High-Impact Areas
Staying on top of cybersecurity threats requires ongoing risk assessments. The risk level for different business threats can quickly shift as a business grows. A minor risk identified six months ago could become a major problem down the line if ignored.
Regular risk assessments provide a snapshot of your current systems, networks, and business processes while highlighting any discovered vulnerabilities or weak spots. Penetration testing services are another form of proactive risk assessment that helps organizations validate their security measures.
By simulating real-world attacks, penetration testing puts enough stress on an organization’s security infrastructure to reveal just how well its defenses can hold up against a cyberattack. Businesses can then see exactly where they should prioritize their security planning efforts and which elements to invest in.
Address Vulnerabilities Before They’re Exploited
A proactive approach to security is crucial for safeguarding your business. It’s important not to wait for an incident before implementing protective measures. However, proactive planning doesn’t just mean focusing on data security. It also means evaluating all supporting technology, including next-generation AI tools and the infrastructure they rely on, to ensure it complies with all regulatory standards.
By getting a better understanding of your current digital security posture, you’re able to take steps ahead of time to mitigate any risks before they’re exploited by malicious sources.
Create a Cybersecurity Readiness Plan
Even with the strongest security measures in place, it’s still critical to remember that no business is completely immune to modern-day security risks. Preparing for a potential security breach is essential, which is why all businesses should have a comprehensive cybersecurity readiness plan in place.
These plans outline clear procedures for identifying, containing, and recovering from security incidents if and when they occur. It should include steps for notifying relevant stakeholders, preserving any evidence, and minimizing downtime while returning to a fully operational state.
By regularly reviewing and updating this plan over time, you’ll be able to ensure its effectiveness when you need it most.
Help Your Business Take Security More Seriously
Effective cybersecurity planning isn’t just about establishing security systems – it’s also about having a team that’s adequately prepared. Investing in your employees is just as important as investing in your supporting infrastructure.
Regular employee training that identifies current threats and highly effective prevention strategies is key. When you make your people a top priority in your security planning, you’re building a strong foundation that means less risk and a much more resilient business.
By Nazy Fouladirad is President and COO of Tevora
Author Bio:
Nazy Fouladirad is President and COO of Tevora, a global leading cybersecurity consultancy. She has dedicated her career to creating a more secure business and online environment for organizations across the country and world. She is passionate about serving her community and acts as a board member for a local nonprofit organization.