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Cybersecurity failures in companies: the importance of human error

Posted on by INSSIDE
19
Oct

In the digital age in which we live, cybersecurity has become a critical issue for all companies. However, one of the most significant challenges organizations face on this front is human error.

Cybersecurity incidents often originate from unintentional or careless actions by employees. Therefore, human error is a common cause of these security flaws and an attack vector.
Why can these errors generate a cyber attack?

  1. Lack of awareness and training: Many employees are not properly trained on cybersecurity issues, leaving them vulnerable to cyber threats. Lack of awareness can lead to risky decisions, such as opening suspicious emails or downloading malicious attachments.
  2. Phishing and social engineering: Phishing attacks and social engineering are techniques used by cybercriminals to trick people and obtain sensitive information. This often involves manipulating employees into revealing sensitive data or taking harmful actions.
    According to the “X-Force Threat Intelligence Index 2023” report, phishing continues to be the main infection vector, identified in 41% of incidents.
  3. Weak or shared passwords: Choosing weak passwords or sharing keys among colleagues can allow unauthorized access to systems and data.
  4. Out-of-date devices: Failure to keep systems and devices up to date with the latest security updates can create vulnerabilities in the defense of not only the device, but also the company.
  5. Misuse of personal devices: The introduction of personal devices into the work environment increases the risk of exposure to threats if clear security policies are not established.
  6. Failure to report incidents: Failure to timely report security incidents can delay threat response and mitigation, allowing problems to fester.

To address these challenges, it is essential that companies invest in cybersecurity awareness and training programs for their employees, establish clear security policies, and promote a cybersecurity culture throughout the organization.

You cannot “patch” a human being like you do with hardware or software, the only way is to raise awareness and encourage cybersecurity habits. At the same time, it is also important to implement technical measures, such as the use of advanced security tools and access management, to mitigate the risks associated with human error in cybersecurity.

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