Are you sure that your employees can resist threats and prevent cyberattacks?
To stay ahead of the competition in today’s business world, you need to know your employees’ strengths and weaknesses. This way, you can identify areas where they may need additional training – like cybersecurity awareness.
Employee cyberthreat traits
Cybersecurity threats can come from anywhere, and your employees must be prepared to resist them. However, certain behaviors may indicate a lack of knowledge or awareness about cybersecurity risks. For example, if employees regularly click on phishing emails or fall victim to social engineering attacks, they are likely unaware of the dangers these threats pose. Similarly, if an employee does not adhere to cybersecurity best practices – such as using strong passwords – this may demonstrate a lack of awareness or motivation.
If you notice any of these behaviors in your employees, provide them with the latest cybersecurity training and best practices. By doing so, you can help protect your business against the dangers of cyberattacks.
In this blog post, we categorize the most common employee traits so that you can identify individuals who require additional attention.
Traits to watch out for
Although there are numerous ways to classify employee traits, we believe the four listed below cover the most common character traits.
The employee with good intentions
This employee is always aware of the latest cybersecurity threats and takes precautions to avoid being hacked. For example, they use strong passwords and are cautious about clicking on links or opening email attachments. However, even the most security-conscious employees can be targeted by cybercriminals. That’s why providing your team with the latest cybersecurity awareness training is essential.
The naïve
As anyone in the cybersecurity field will tell you, naivete can be dangerous. Unfortunately, those who are inexperienced in cybersecurity might trust too quickly without thinking about the potential risks involved.
Do you know people who leave their computers unlocked when they go out for lunch? Or the remote worker who uses the free Wi-Fi at coffee shops? Some individuals even write their passwords on post-it notes; we’ve all been guilty of doing this at some point.
While it may seem to this type of employee that good people surround them, the threat might be sitting right next to them.
The procrastinator
Procrastinators know cybersecurity is essential, but we often delay taking action. For example, we may put off connecting to a virtual private network (VPN) or deploying a security patch, even though we know it’s critical to preventing hackers from infiltrating systems.
Those with the procrastinator cybersecurity trait also have a love-hate relationship with the dozens of red bubbles on our apps and software. If left unchecked, the situation could quickly spiral out of control. But we prioritize other tasks and wait until “the next day” to take care of the issue.
The skeptic
Some people are skeptical about the idea of a cyberattack happening to them. They don’t think changing their passwords regularly or using two-factor authentication is necessary. However, this carefree attitude is what cybercriminals take advantage of to attack businesses. Without the proper safety precautions, these criminals have a high success rate.
It is important to remember that cybercriminals are experts at hiding and can be challenging to spot if you’re not actively looking for them. So be vigilant and take the necessary steps to protect yourself and your business from these attacks.
Conclusion
There’s no question that businesses need to know their employees well. After all, they are a crucial part of any company. Moreover, good employees can help a business thrive, while careless employees can hold it back.
It’s essential to keep in mind that each employee is an individual with skills, traits, and motivations. It’s up to you to ensure those individual qualities are applied effectively and that your staff receives regular security awareness training to help them learn and practice good cyber hygiene.
If you’re not sure where to start, don’t worry. The experience and expertise of a specialized IT service provider can be valuable.
