Have you pondered the role of human behavior in your organization’s internal cybersecurity? You might be startled to realize that your staff, the human element, often poses the greatest risk to your IT security. The 2023 Insider Threat Report by Cybersecurity Insiders states that 74% of organizations are at least moderately vulnerable to insider threats. And that’s understandable — in 2022, we saw lots of malicious insider attacks and leaks caused by user negligence.
Realizing this, especially if you value your team, can be as disheartening as discovering Santa isn’t real. Yet, it’s a critical reality that needs addressing. Grasping the impact of Human Factors in Cybersecurity is essential for crafting strategies to lessen these risks and strengthen your security stance.
Internal Cybersecurity and Employees Threats Awareness
By the end of this article, you’ll understand the potential hazards humans pose, particularly in your organization’s internal cybersecurity. According to a 2022 Ponemon Institute report, about 26% of cyber-attacks were conducted by malicious insiders. While 56% resulted from negligent employees or suppliers. Despite your belief in your team’s responsibility and expertise, cybersecurity awareness is often lacking, underscoring the need for targeted education in this area.
Negligence or Ignorance in Staff
Often, inadequate training or complex cybersecurity regulations, which employees either avoid or struggle to grasp, leads to this gap. This lack of awareness can severely harm your organization internal cybersecurity. In 2023, nearly quarter of cybersecurity breaches were due to negligent staff, and 53% of ransomware attacks had similar causes.
But negligence isn’t the only issue. Bombarding staff with rules can lead them to conceal incidents, fearing repercussions. Globally, 40% of businesses have employees who hide cybersecurity incidents, which means you might remain unaware until it’s too late.
Human Factors and BYOD Policies
Even if you pride yourself on being a laid-back boss who allows personal device usage, this leniency can introduce flaws. Many cybersecurity incidents stem from human factors linked to BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies, such as uncontrolled personal devices and data sharing. While cost-effective, BYOD can lead to costly data breaches.
Internal Cybersecurity Policy Compliance
Combatting this doesn’t involve reprogramming human carelessness, but rather enhancing cybersecurity policy enforcement. Only 44% of companies report proper adherence to these policies, highlighting a need for improvement. Education is key.
Your employees may not realize the extent of damage they can cause. Inform them, and consider deploying sophisticated IT cybersecurity software, a strategy favored by 43% of businesses. It’s an investment in your organization’s internal cybersecurity.
Implementing Sepio
Addressing these challenges, Sepio’s platform takes human factors into account. Sepio offers full visibility of all hardware assets, even remote ones, using physical layer Asset DNA technology and Machine Learning. This system allows administrators to set detailed, enforceable policies.
If a device violates these policies, Sepio’s platform, can block unauthorized hardware. Effectively reducing risks from both malicious and careless employees. This approach proved effective in a real-life scenario where a client used Sepio to disable an ex-employee’s device, eliminating any threat from that hardware. This illustrates the challenge of identifying internal threats, and how Sepio offers a solution, effectively playing a high-stakes game of “Where is Your Evil Waldo?” in the realm of cybersecurity.
