Is The Future Cyborg? Waking Up to the Human Error Risk in Cyber
Security
By Stuart Peck,
Pre-Sales Manager, ZeroDayLab
Human achievement is incredible, just look at digital technology and
the internet, but people can also make mistakes. When APTs are increasing and targeting
weaknesses in staff and suppliers to overcome improved technical defences; can
organisations control the risk of human fallibility or is the only answer to
employ cyborgs?
Since 2012 there has been a 51%
increase in security budgets, yet incidents are up 25% and financial costs of a
breach are up 18% (The Global State of
Information Security Survey 2014, PWC).
The importance of implementing improved security technologies is
irrefutable and this is exactly why exploiting human weakness has become the
lucrative path for cyber criminals from poor configuration and password
management to social engineering and spear phishing.
IBM’s 2014 Cyber Security
Intelligence Index cites human error as a contributing factor in 95% of
incidents. What we regularly see in
businesses is an improved top-level approach employing technology, technical
controls and automation but the technology is in reality just the safety
net. What is lacking is an understanding
throughout organisations of the individual’s contribution to security both on
and offline. To achieve this, a top-down
cyber strategy is required involving a combined focus on people, process and
technology.
People as the First Line of Defence
When human error can happen even
within IT teams who know best (we regularly come across admin accounts with
passwords set as ‘admin’) how do you motivate your privileged insiders, staff
and third party suppliers to be the first line of defence?
Current office culture creates a
belief that it is IT’s role to protect the organisation, not staff members or
third party suppliers. Simple things
such easy-to-guess passwords, carrying data on USBs, leaving desktops unlocked,
or opening attachments may not be something people may be aware of.
Organisations winning the fight
with human error have shifted their focus to processes and training in four
areas:
1) People
Regular education programmes are key; highlighting the individual’s role in
security, the latest threats and how they target people (both on and offline),
policies, procedures and just as importantly the consequences of human error;
namely fines, reputation/brand damage and loss of business. Tailor it to departments and roles and aim to
refresh training at a minimum of every 6 month
2) Processes
Tighten processes and procedural controls from application implementation and
administrator controls, to privileged access, data handling and also physical
office security.
3) Test & Review
Some organisations test their internal controls by sending phishing attacks to
their own staff. That way, they can
identify who would benefit from further security awareness training. Similarly physical security processes should
be audited on a regular basis.
4) Technology testing
Applications and websites develop and change and weaknesses can appear in code
and privileges. Ensure you have a
regular and frequent penetration testing plan to ensure all controls are
properly in place and are keeping pace with changes in the external threat
environment.
Do we need cyborgs? While they might be the ultimate hybrid of
the human and technology, we can mitigate the risk of human error with the
right strategy. To err is human; people,
process and technology is the divine.
We ask this question to you; How do you motivate your users (and other binding parties) to be the first line of defence/IT Security conscious?
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