Technology and tools often play a pivotal role in protecting an organization’s digital assets; however, one factor that can be the most strategic asset or a liability is the human factor. The success or failure of an organization’s cybersecurity program is dependent on them. Human errors have been the leading causes of several security incidents and breaches according to studies conducted by Verizon, The Harvard Business Review and Journal. To safeguard an organization’s digital assets, it is imperative to educate and train its employees. This article sheds light on the human factor, ways to enhance cybersecurity posture, and offers recommendations to help safeguard organizations’ digital assets.
Understanding the Human Factor
The term human factor refers to the role an individual plays in protecting digital assets. It includes understanding human behavior, their decision-making process, and the cognitive tendencies that impact the security of the systems and data. The most common incidents that involve the human factor in cybersecurity are falling for phishing emails, choosing an insecure or weak password, leaving a device unlocked, accidental data leakage and an overall lack of security awareness and training. For an effective mitigation of these risks just implementing a security policy is not enough instead it would require a fundamental shift in organizations culture and individual’s mindset. Security is a shared responsibility, and it is imperative that every employee from junior level staff to senior management understand the roles and responsibilities they play towards protecting the organization assets.
Leadership Buy-in
A strong leadership support is crucial for driving security efforts. Leadership must not only endorse cybersecurity initiatives but also must guide, influence, and actively participate in them. Their proactive approach, unwavering commitment, and participation will influence the entire organization and foster a culture of accountability and commitment.
Continuous Education and Training
Education plays a crucial role in empowering individuals to recognize potential threats. A regular training is essential to stay updated and would help reduce the risk of human errors. It provides and equips individuals with the knowledge and skills they need to identify and respond to threats. Using humor, interactive elements, or real-life examples will make the training content interesting and relatable. Well-trained employees are less likely to make mistakes, as they are more aware of the evolving threat landscape and would know how to respond to them. Training empowers employees to contribute to the company’s cybersecurity efforts. In addition to training, it is essential to encourage employees to report suspicious activities without the fear of retribution.
Celebrating Successes
Recognizing and rewarding employees for good security practices would encourage them and others to uphold security best practices. Whether it is successfully identifying a phishing attempt or contributing to organizations security improvements, recognizing their achievements and actions publicly will have a positive impact, can boost morale, and encourage continuous improvement.
Integrating Security into Daily Operations
Security should be an integral part of the daily business operations. Every business decision, whether it is adding new piece of equipment, software, or launching a new product, the organization must consider the security implications that may come with it. An early assessment will provide a clear picture and help with the business decision. Incorporating security into everyday tasks should be a standard practice and not an afterthought.
Measuring the Impact
To effectively measure the efforts in promoting cybersecurity awareness and culture in an organization, a metrics can be established such as the results of the phishing Simulations, number of incident reporting, measuring employee knowledge through survey and assessments, tracking participation rates in cybersecurity training sessions and analyzing user behavior on network to detect changes in security practices etc. Using these metrics can help gauge the effectiveness of cybersecurity awareness initiatives and help identify areas for improvement.
Conclusion
The Human factor can be both a liability and a major line of defense in protecting against cyber threats. Increasing cyber security awareness and security focused approach can help organizations reduce their cyber security risks. Not only will it help in protecting the digital assets but also will help create an informed and resilient workforce that can respond to the ever-changing threat landscape.
