No matter how sophisticated a cybersecurity threat is, there is a common theme in most attacks, and that is the human element.
Examining recent examples of prominent data breaches, human error has served as a common catalyst for the intensification of each breach. The ransomware that facilitated the 2021 Colonial Pipeline cyberattack was installed after hackers compromised an employee’s password through phishing attempts. The 2022 cyberattack on the U.S. Department of Labor utilized two methods that impersonated department email addresses, spoofing the actual address and buying a similar domain, tricking personnel into sharing information. Whether it is clicking on a link that should not be clicked, downloading something nefarious, or other common mistakes, human performance remains the weakest piece in the cybersecurity chain during attacks.
This is a reality that cybersecurity professionals, government leaders, and C-suite decision-makers face, yet the glaring challenge has been overlooked. We believe the human element of cybersecurity is worth investing in wholeheartedly.
Human-first cyber education
Training is a crucial investment for any organization, but what does human-first training look like? Absent hands-on instruction, which we highly recommend, start by communicating these best practices to staff across the business and government landscapes.
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