More than 60% of the global population are now online, and individuals use more digital devices to store their personal information.
Users are not always ‘digitally-literate’ to fully appreciate the dangers of these online environments.
The ‘human factor’ should not be overlooked when building a strong defense against cyber threats. This is often viewed as a technology issue, with companies being pressured to use the most up-to-date and secure technologies. The challenge is how to promote digital literacy and cyber safety at this increasing scale, especially as the number of online users continues to grow.
Everyone needs to take care of themselves in a digital world full of dangers
In a hybrid environment, maintaining visibility of devices and employees is a major challenge. In Australia, 36 percent of employees use personal devices to access company data. A greater 49 per cent connect IoT devices with their home networks.
This unmanaged array of systems has left businesses and individuals exposed to unnecessary risks by giving hackers the easy fodder to enter a database. It has exposed businesses and individuals to unnecessary risks, as hackers can easily enter databases. Statistics show that 46% data breaches are the result of human errors.
Individuals are not literate in the proper practices of password hygiene, even at the basic level. According to the latest DBIR Report, 82percent of breaches are still caused by human error. The poor password habits extend beyond protection, as many people are unaware of how to respond when an attack occurs. LastPass’ latest IDC Report reveals that 45% of people did not change passwords after a breach.
Your security is only as strong as its weakest link. No matter how secure everything else is if someone leaves the door unlocked, anyone could walk in. Businesses must make it easy for both non-technical and technical people to implement cybersecurity. If digital assets aren’t user-friendly for a given customer base, they will use shortcuts to access a business.
Businesses need to offer solutions which ensure continuity for employees and customers in order to save time and effort. This can also help maintain sales points. Security is not something that anyone wants to learn about for hours on end. It should be integrated into all aspects of their lives so it becomes second-nature.
Get started with education
The true challenge for a company is to ensure that their cybersecurity standards and practices are maintained and implemented on a large scale.
Businesses should first and foremost look to their employees as a first line of defense by adopting a zero-trust attitude towards digital entities. This framework is not only simple and cost-effective, but can also ensure greater security and integrity for personal and corporate assets. This approach to continuously validating every digital interaction can be used to amend basic security practices, specifically reducing the risk of compromised credentials.
Passwordless solutions will be the future, and they’ll cover all users, whether or not they are digitally savvy. Users can login to devices and apps without typing in passwords using technology like LastPass authenticator or SSO.
It streamlines the experience of employees and customers while maintaining a high-level of security. IT and security teams can still maintain complete control. It improves cybersecurity and the user experience, allowing the company to keep its point of sale.
Online environments continue to grow and expand. Cyber threats cannot be addressed by implementing highly sophisticated technology alone. To promote cybersecurity, it is important to educate users about good password hygiene and to ensure that the information reaches all users. These strategies should not only be used to address existing security issues, but also as a way to promote proficiency in a constantly evolving digital environment.
