Humans – the greatest threat to your cyber security

The threat of cyberwarfare is evident in every sector.

43% of businesses and 19% of charities reported cyber security breaches in 2018[i].

For businesses and charities, reputation is everything.  A high-profile attack  – which can be as little as a relatively small but highly sensitive data breach – can be enough to undermine consumer confidence for many years, if not decades, resulting in a potential loss of profits or funds.

Cyber security breaches of this nature aren’t limited to small organisations as 72% of large businesses reported cyber breaches in 2017/18[ii].

Cyber security threat
It’s not just hackers who are a threat to cyber security

Two primary threats

There are two key ways in which humans pose the greatest threat to the security of your systems:

  1. Deliberate acts of crime

There are thousands of mutations of malware and virus software which are developed with the intention to obtain sensitive personal data or cause damage to business IT systems.

While the rate of technological innovation is hugely beneficial to both businesses and the economy, it has resulted in the evolution of ever-increasingly sophisticated methods of cyberattacks.

This has led to some high-profile data breaches for the likes of Uber[iii], Tesco[iv] and Sony[v].

  1. Employee naivety

Employee negligence and naivety is also a fundamental risk to your business security. It is suggested that 4 out of 5 of the top causes for data breaches can be attributed to human or processes error[vi].

This can be difficult to safeguard against – given no harm was intended, instead it is about educating and training your team to identify and mitigate any possible risks.

How can you protect your business?

Protecting your business from the wide range of cyber security threats can be difficult. Ensuring your systems are safe and secure is all about training your team to instil best practice.

It is also essential to have procedures in place such as website protection or a managed anti-virus solution in order to safeguard your systems from external threats.

For more information as to how you can navigate the human threats to your system’s security, get in touch or visit our service page. Let’s ensure you’re embracing the full potential of IT while mitigating the risks such that any potential hacker will move on to easier prey.

[i] https://www.icas.com/technical-resources/uk-government-issues-report-on-cybersecurity-breaches

[ii] https://www.icas.com/technical-resources/uk-government-issues-report-on-cybersecurity-breaches

[iii] https://us.norton.com/internetsecurity-emerging-threats-uber-breach-57-million.html

[iv] https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/nov/08/tesco-bank-cyber-thieves-25m

[v] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34589710

[vi] https://www.itgovernance.co.uk/blog/4-of-the-5-top-causes-of-data-breaches-are-because-of-human-or-process-error



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