The Human Factor in IT Security: What to Do?

The human factor has always been a weak link in cybersecurity due to the ever-increasing incidents of insider threats and negligence.)

No matter how consolidated your cybersecurity is, your employee’s negligence, ignorance or malicious intention can make you vulnerable to the threats. For example, your employee can delete the data accidentally or click over the malicious links. Then, some insider threats may be selling your valuable information to competitors.

As long as human participation in key levels of systems or organizations is required, the human factor will remain the “exposed link” in cybersecurity.

Recently, confidential records of 14,200 HIV patients were stolen from the Singapore Ministry of Health and leaked online. It is said that the hacker had made his way to a secret record by leveraging a personal relationship with a doctor who had access to the ministry’s HIV data.

So you need to ponder over this “HUMAN FACTOR” while creating a cybersecurity strategy. Here’s how…

Create and Execute Robust Security Policies:

You should plan a security policy to determine the use of the cyber equipment within your organization. Make sure to cover everything from keeping a scanned system to network security. Place it everywhere where it can be clear and accessible to all employees.

Perform Regular Cyber Security Sessions:

Let’s accept it. Security policies are generally read once and never looked at again. That’s why conducting seminars and small training sessions to keep your employees informed, engaged and interested in cybersecurity.

The session can be made engaging by encouraging them to show active involvement. Support your points by showing how cybercrimes thwart an organization. Such small interactions will be useful as they keep the lessons in their mind for longer.

Everyone Should Be Trained—From Top to Bottom:

Cybersecurity training should be meant for all employees across your organization. Don’t exclude your IT personnel just because they are an expert. After all, they are responsible for the management and security of your data and equipment.

Tell Them About the Impact of Cyber Attack:

This point is valuable in terms of evoking “sense of responsibility” among your employees. Tell them how hard-hitting can be cyber-attack for your business reputation and data with real life.

Frequently Test Their Knowledge:

To make sure they practice the things important for cybersecurity, make sure to test and review their knowledge and vigilance from time to time. You can send them mock mails to see how many of them click the links and provide info. These results can be provided in the next seminar or training sessions without revealing the names of employees who opened the fake

You can show these results in your seminar or training sessions, without revealing the names of the employees who opened the fake phishing emails.

Bottom Line:

These things can help you control the “Human Factor” in your cybersecurity. However, it is important to stay vigilant and proactive as incidents are likely to take place despite the best efforts.