A Guide to User Behaviour and Cybersecurity

A Guide to User Behaviour and Cybersecurity

Even the Largest Investment Into Security Solutions Can Become Moot if Vulnerabilities from Within Aren’t Addressed… Here’s What C-Level Executives Need to Know About User Behaviour and Cybersecurity.

Despite the ever-evolving threat of cyber-attacks, many corporate leaders continue to leave cybersecurity to the information technology resources they have on hand. They don’t take the necessary action to protect their companies against attacks, but instead, expect their technology partner or in-house technician to find the right tools and services. Unfortunately, even the most significant investment into security solutions can become moot if vulnerabilities from within aren’t addressed. Cybersecurity is a management issue that requires greater awareness and acumen from the highest level – the c-level executives who have the power to create a culture of protecting against threats.

As the Lines Between Our Personal and Professional Lives Become Blurred with Flexible Working, It’s More Important Than Ever Before to Focus on User Behaviour.

More than ever before, companies are allowing employees to use their own devices within the workplace or bring their work devices outside of the workplace. Trends like flexible working or bring your device (BYOD) are creating blurred lines between our personal and professional lives, and as a result, creating huge risks that can’t be ignored. The fact is, human error causes approximately 90% of corporate data security breach incidents. If staff members aren’t given ongoing training and support, they’re typically not aware of what behaviour is risky vs. what behaviour is safe.

When c-level executives stay involved in cybersecurity, they’re able to empower staff members with their awareness and acumen in terms of protecting against threats. This is vital to ensure employees aren’t taking part in risky behaviour, such as:

• Accidentally sharing sensitive information via email or text
• Using easy-to-guess passwords or reusing passwords for multiple accounts
• Clicking on links or downloading attachments found within emails
• Visiting potentially dangerous websites via pop-ups or other unsafe avenues
• Neglecting to apply updates or bug fixes on their computers
• Accessing sensitive information on their own mobile devices or tablets

How Should You, Our Valued Client, Approach the Challenge of Minimizing Risky User Behaviour?

All employees must be able to identify malicious emails, websites, links, and attachments. But more often than not, this isn’t the case, especially as malware continues to evolve. A lot of phishing emails, for instance, spoof a known entity’s email and closely resemble official correspondence. This is one example of why training and support must be ongoing – because cybercrime is not stagnant. Although we protect you with a range of cybersecurity solutions, it’s essential to do your part. Here are our top tips for approaching the challenge of minimizing risky user behaviour:

1. Perform a range of simulated attacks: There are many tools on the market designed to help companies perform simulated attacks to test how their users will respond to a variety of threats, such as phishing emails, then send you a report on the outcome.
2. Invest time and money into cybersecurity training: Use the results of the simulated attacks performed to figure out what areas of cybersecurity training are the most essential to work on, then invest in training to promote a security-first mindset.

We Can Help You Minimize Risky User Behaviour. Get in Touch with Your Account Manager to Talk About Cybersecurity Training and Simulated Attacks. Call (403) 457-1478 Now.

Written by Carl Fransen

posted on February 25, 2020

Carl Fransen

My passion is to make my mark on the world in a positive and lasting way. I want to set an example for my son that his father can compete with integrity in today’s world, be very successful, and leave the world a better place for him.

Combining my technical/business-based education with a long career steadily progressing up the corporate ladder, I decided to build a company that held true to my values. So, I founded and designed the next generation of IT support firm: CTECH Consulting Group Inc. We are a completely automated, cloud-based IT company designed to compete against any other IT firm without the overhead. We promote a lifestyle to all our staff where they can work anywhere, at any time, access any information on any device that is relevant to their job, and collaborate with anyone they want to.