Viruses and hackers are some of the most significant security concerns for your company. However, your employees are likely to put you at even more risk. Whether maliciously or accidentally, employees are a likely cause of security breaches.
Following are the top three reasons your employees are your biggest cybersecurity threat:
- Bad Password Habits
One of the biggest internal security issues every business has to deal with is password sharing. Malicious attacks occur when clever hackers create complex code to crack security systems, but the reality is that most of the time, someone lets their password fall into the wrong hands. Over 50% of employees share their network login details.Younger employees are more likely to share passwords. Surveys from 2015 through today show that it is extremely common for teens and young adults to share their passwords. Account sharing has become second nature for them. Just look at Netflix. They encouraged password sharing by building features that allow users to add others to their account. - Email Phishing in a Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a rise in fraud by wrongdoers seeking to profit off public panic and strained resources. With more employees working remotely, an influx of emails, and a general “always connected” attitude, there are more opportunities for cybercriminals than ever before. One in four Americans received a Covid-19 related phishing email. Employees receive emails that appear to be from legitimate sources, but the real purpose of these emails is to trick people into providing sensitive information and/or enable phishers to install malware.Even before Covid, 79% of people claim to be able to distinguish a phishing message from a genuine one. But nearly 50% admit to clicking on a link from an unknown sender while at work, and 29% percent admit to doing so more than once - Unsecured web browsing
For some job functions, deep web browsing may be necessary. However, most roles do not need completely unfettered internet browsing access. Visits to malicious websites can include phishing and harmful content and can lead to the downloading of viruses and malware. Rogue websites are continually looking for new ways to exploit viewers and compromise your data. Ensure your admin web browser policies are set up on your employee devices and use web filtering solutions to block malicious sites.Please note, web filtering can be configured granularly. With limited-to-no water cooler chat or team lunches, releasing a bit of stress by watching a funny YouTube video or playing a session of Fortnite may be fine.
What to do?
This is where employee training really comes into play and having the current security measures in place. Many employees assume that the right defenses are in place to protect against these types of threats. At iTelecom, we are here to help you make sure they are. Let’s discuss how we can help you keep your sensitive information and networks secure.
