It’s not just the IT Department’s job to worry about cyber security

Posted on: July 4th, 2019 onPlatinum

Cyber security is seen as a job for the IT team that nobody else needs to worry about. According to the Telstra Security Report 2019, IT Departments are ultimately held responsible for breaches, even above employees directly involved. But technology is everywhere, in every workplace. Most of your staff will have access to a range of devices. Cyber attacks come from everywhere, via websites, email or any other communication point between your computer and the internet. Attacks are constantly evolving and often go undetected because they arise from something as simple as clicking an email attachment. From an intern to an executive, all staff members have the power to harm, or help, the security of sensitive information and systems.

Here are three reasons why cyber security is everyone’s responsibility, not just the IT team.

Human error

Research shows that hackers often rely on human error to gain access. Your IT team have defenses in place that are great at blocking malware and ransomware, but infected emails or websites will still get through. All it takes is one employee that is uninformed on cyber security to open an attachment or click a link, and your organisation is compromised.

Everything is connected

Nowadays, the boundaries are very blurred between work and personal lives. Employees use many devices for both business and personal use, such as their mobile phones. This “connectedness” results in an increased risk of security breaches, such as unauthorised users gaining access to information on a lost phone, data intercepted on a public Wi-Fi network, or lack of security simply because the device is not updated. Everything connected is convenient, but it leads to cyber security vulnerabilities.

Rapid technology evolution

Technology is evolving so quickly; many people find it challenging to keep up. With each new technology introduced comes an abundance of threats and vulnerabilities for your organisation. Encourage employees to report anything out of the ordinary so that security patches can be released.

Employees need to be aware of the risks so they can make informed decisions and keep their company secure. Cyber security training and awareness can help employees to understand that a simple mistake or oversight could lead to disaster for the organisation. Training should include what employees need to be aware of, what they should watch out for, and best practices to follow.