Cyber security is not just about technology; it is also about people. People use, manage, and protect the technology that powers businesses and organisations. However, people can sometimes introduce, expose, or exploit weaknesses in the technology. This is known as human risk.
What Is Human Risk?
Human risk refers to the chance that human behaviour could cause or contribute to cyberattacks, data breaches, or other security problems. It can come from factors like:
- Lack of awareness or training on cyber security best practices and policies
- Carelessness when handling sensitive data or devices
- Being tricked by social engineering, such as phishing attacks
- Errors when configuring, updating, or using technology
Why Human Risk Matters
Human risk is a big challenge for cyber security because it is often hard to predict, measure, or control. It can lead to serious problems, including:
- Financial losses from fines, lawsuits, or ransom payments
- Damage to your reputation from bad publicity or unhappy customers
- Operational disruptions caused by downtime or data loss
- Loss of competitive edge through stolen intellectual property or market share
- Failing to meet data protection laws and regulations
Because of these risks, organisations must manage human risk carefully and proactively.
How to Manage Human Risk in Cybersecurity
Managing human risk needs a broad approach that tackles the root causes of risky behaviour. Key steps include:
- Assessing the level and sources of human risk through surveys, audits, or simulations
- Finding gaps and weaknesses in your security policies, procedures, and training
- Creating engaging and tailored security awareness programmes for your team
- Setting clear and consistent security rules that are easy to follow
- Tracking the success and impact of your security initiatives
- Offering feedback and support to staff to help with security challenges
- Involving employees in security decisions and improvements
By managing human risk well, you can lower the chance and impact of security incidents. You also build trust with your clients, partners, and regulators.
How Can We Help?
At Focus IT, we know that human risk plays a major role in cyber security and cannot be ignored. We want to help you identify your vulnerabilities and improve your security.
That’s why we offer a free, confidential human risk report. Just fill in your details here, and we’ll send you a bespoke report tailored to your organisation.
