Effective cybersecurity covers more than just technical defenses. The human element plays a massive role in an organization’s security posture, but many fail to address it properly. All too many businesses focus on increasing awareness without recognizing the need for cybersecurity behavior change.
Why Is Cybersecurity Behavior Change Necessary?
Human-centric cybersecurity must go beyond simple training because education does not always produce changed behavior. User-related risks wouldn’t be as prominent as they are today if it did.
Since 2010, the Government Accountability Office has made 335 IT security recommendations, but federal agencies still haven’t implemented nearly 60% of them. The private sector showcases a similar trend. Cybercrime awareness is growing across the board, but data breaches remain a persistent threat.
It’s not necessarily that hackers have deployed more sophisticated methods, either — although that is also a threat. Despite a growing emphasis on cybersecurity among businesses, 60% of data breaches still involve a human element — most often credential misuse or social engineering. Clearly, there’s a gap between learning about security and users actually changing their behavior, and this must become a focus for companies today.
5 Steps to Spark Cybersecurity Behavior Change
As uncommon as it may be today, cybersecurity behavior change is possible. Here are five ways leaders can incite a necessary shift among their employees to foster a spirit of security within the workplace.
1. Lead by Example
The most foundational step is to embody cybersecurity behavior change from the top down. Studies show that leading by example has a significant positive effect on motivating workers and helping them feel like an important part of a larger group. By the same token, employees are unlikely to follow security protocols that they see their higher-ups ignoring.
The higher up a person’s leadership level, the more seriously they should take cybersecurity. That includes participating in regular security workshops, following company policies in all situations, and going above and beyond recommended practices.
2. Gamify Cybersecurity Training
Another crucial measure is to make security training more engaging. Presentations, long notices and conventional tests can be monotonous, which may frustrate or bore workers. This could make them less likely to really learn from them or internalize the information. Gamification fights this trend.
Interactive learning platforms with built-in incentives make cybersecurity training more interesting — even fun. As a result, employees are more likely to focus on them and retain what they learn. Possible solutions under this umbrella include interactive videos, team leaderboards and awards for achieving certain certification levels.
3. Make Security a Frequent Topic of Conversation
Communication is also key to driving cybersecurity behavior change. Security must regularly pop up in conversation to keep it at the forefront of everyone’s minds, especially because this is such a continuously evolving field. Sending regular cybersecurity updates and reminders in a newsletter is a good start, but companies should go further.
Employees are more likely to remember information when they see it in more places, so variety is essential. Leaders can use social media, workplace signage and face-to-face conversations on top of newsletter emails to amplify cybersecurity communication. Managers should also encourage employees to speak up about their concerns or insights in this area to facilitate two-way discussions about security.
4. Ensure Secure Practices Are Easy
Regardless of how secure a business’s IT policies are, they won’t produce the desired effect unless they’re also easy to follow. Taking the path of least resistance is human nature, so one of the best ways to be secure is to make the safest thing the easiest thing.
Consider how the use of unauthorized apps usually stems from convenience, as workers look to find faster ways to do their jobs. Workplaces can minimize this “shadow IT” by providing employees with a more user-friendly and efficient platform. Other specifics may vary between organizations, but automation is often a great way to streamline compliance, encouraging people to follow the rules.
5. Personalize Approaches to the Individual
Widespread cybersecurity behavior change is only possible when leaders recognize that everyone’s stance and regular actions are different. Consequently, approaches must also vary between individual users.
Simulations and tests should be personalized, adapting to each person’s skill level and role. Similarly, feedback must be specific to the employee, as should suggestions to improve their cybersecurity knowledge and practices. Different incentives, learning methods and communication styles will be more or less effective between individuals, so a one-size-fits-all approach will never be effective for everyone.
Secure Behavior Is Essential for Reliable Cybersecurity
Leading security posture begins with cybersecurity behavior change. Increasing awareness is not enough on its own. Businesses need to influence a shift in mindset and daily actions so that their other protections work as intended.
Inciting change is not always easy, but it’s possible when leadership understands where organizations often go wrong. These five steps should help any operation foster a more cybersecurity-minded company culture.
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As the Features Editor at ReHack, Zac Amos writes about cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and other tech topics. He is a frequent contributor to Brilliance Security Magazine.
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