Human Errors in Cyber Security: 5 Common Cyber Security Mistakes Caused by Employees

Human errors in cyber security

Is your business vulnerable to these 5 common cyber security mistakes? Human errors in cyber security happen all the time and they can cost businesses huge amounts of money.

Find out if your business is at risk! And how you can secure your intellectual property by working with a cyber security company to prevent cyber attacks.

1. Weak Passwords

One of the most common cyber security mistakes caused by employees is weak passwords.

It’s obvious why people use weak passwords - life is a lot easier when you just have one simple password to remember. However, weak passwords that are used for multiple accounts are a cybercriminal’s dream.

Weak passwords can easily be hacked, and if they’re reused on lots of different accounts, then the hacker immediately has large scale access to your business (here’s what to do when your business faces a cyber attack).

This error can be easily resolved by ensuring your team has effective cybersecurity training and education to enforce effective password policies.

2. Not Updating Software

Many software updates are released to patch security vulnerabilities.

Again, it can be annoying to constantly have to update software, but it’s one of the most common cyber security mistakes. If your employees are using outdated software, then your business is much more vulnerable.

You might automatically update the software your employees use when they’re in the office, but what about when they’re working from home or on the go?

3. Wrong Recipient

This one sounds so simple that you might wonder why it’s even on a list of human errors in cyber security: sending sensitive information to the wrong person.

When you’re in a rush and stressed out, it’s not that hard to send an email to the wrong recipient. It’s also very hard to get it back.

human errors in cybersecurity

Unfortunately, if you accidentally send sensitive information to the wrong person, there’s no telling what can happen with it.

While this is hard to stop, there are protocols you can put in place to help limit this human error in cybersecurity.

4. Clicking Links from Unknown Sources

Phishing attacks are one of the most common forms of cyber attacks.

They’ll often involve emails or text messages that bring people to fake websites to steal their login credentials. Sometimes these attacks can be extremely sophisticated making them one of the most common human errors in cyber security.

5. Shared Wifi Networks

Another common cyber security mistake employees make is not protecting themselves when using a shared wifi network.

If a wifi network isn’t secure then it can lead to stolen credentials, lost data, and worse.

This is why it’s important to use a strong VPN network whenever you’re accessing an unknown wifi network.

Learn more about the Top 6 Types Of Phishing Attacks & How They Work here.

How Can You Protect Against Human Errors in Cyber Security?

You can put great systems in place to protect your business, but you also need your employees to buy into cyber security.

Many cyber attacks begin with human error, so it’s vitally important your employees have adequate cybersecurity training. Not only is this beneficial to them personally, but it will also help them to protect your business.

Let the experts at StickmanCyber Security help you design and launch effective cybersecurity training for your employees.

Learn more now and contact us today!

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