What's the weakest link in your establishment's cyber resilience strategy? It's not dated infrastructure or software vulnerabilities, but people. Humans can unintentionally create risks through errors or negligence, but with the proper training and awareness, they can become your strongest defense.
What Is Social Engineering?
Long gone are the days when criminals relied on brute force to access systems and steal data. Many are exploiting human curiosity, trust, and fear to achieve their goals.
One of the most common forms of social engineering is a phishing scam, in which attackers impersonate trusted entities to trick individuals into disclosing sensitive information. Fake emails, text messages, and websites are rampant in the modern digital landscape, and artificial intelligence (AI) is making things worse.
If it takes a person several minutes to create a targeted phishing message, AI can generate dozens in seconds, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. Threat actors recently attempted to defraud WPP with deepfake videos of senior executives.
Evolving Solutions for an Evolving Problem
Most cybersecurity training programs focus on raising awareness, but is this enough if modern technology can replicate voices, create realistic faces, and craft convincing messages? The following steps can help businesses address these challenges.
Create Cyber Crisis Simulations
Foundational knowledge on social engineering is essential, yes, but it often fails to prepare people for aggressive AI attacks. Cyber resilience exercises create a hands-on experience where you can practice responding to evolving threats. They train a team's muscle memory so they can react swiftly to a real crisis.
These simulations should include:
- Interdepartmental participation: IT teams are not the only ones handling digital systems on a day-to-day basis. Every related party, from marketing and sales to HR, should have digital threat preparedness.
- Real-life simulations: The closer to reality, the better. Actively identify new threats or scenarios and adjust your training accordingly.
- Measurable outcomes: Track progress by analyzing response times, communication effectiveness, and resolution success. Use these insights to improve future simulations.
Foster a Culture of Vigilance
"Shadow IT" is a fairly common problem. Well-meaning employees may try to use tools, devices, or processes outside the organization's guidelines for convenience. Common examples include accessing sensitive data with public Wi-Fi or reusing login credentials.
Leadership should normalize slowing down and taking the time to double-check one's approach. Encourage asking questions and reporting concerns without fear to build trust and accountability.
Invest in Cybersecurity Technologies
Accounting for the human factor in cybersecurity is important, but even the most well-trained employees can make mistakes. That's why advanced tools, like firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and endpoint protection software, are essential. These additional layers of defense catch errors and block potential threats before damage occurs.
Taking a Comprehensive Approach to Risk Management
Human employees are a double-edged sword in a company's cybersecurity. Their adaptability strengthens defenses, but errors can lead to breaches.
With companies across various sectors losing billions in damages annually, investing in cyber resilience is more crucial than ever. Balancing incident response planning and training with security technology ensures businesses remain prepared against evolving threats.
