Human error is always a possibility in the decisions we make and unfortunately, it has played a significant role in cybersecurity hacks among U.S. and U.K. employees. According to Tessian's latest report, "The Psychology of Human Error," 43% of those surveyed said their mistakes caused cybersecurity-related repercussions for themselves or their company.
The report surveyed 1,000 U.S. and 1,000 U.K. employees in April in an effort to find "how stress, distraction and workplace disruption can cause people to make more mistakes at work." In addition to the high percentage of employees who caused cybersecurity issues, one in five companies said they lost customers because they sent an email to the wrong person.
"Understanding how stress impacts behavior is critical to improving cybersecurity," said Jeff Hancock, a professor at Stanford University and expert in social dynamics, in the report. "This year, people have had to deal with incredibly stressful situations and a lot of change. And when people are stressed, they tend to make mistakes or decisions they later regret. Sadly, hackers prey on this vulnerability."
But there are preventative measures businesses and employees can utilize to combat such occurrences. Hancock noted that employers must educate employees on how hackers operate as well as the security measures that are in place to protect the company and its employees.
—Andrew Michaels, editorial associate