October 19, 2023 at 08:41AM
Infosec experts warn that organizations that neglect internal employees’ vulnerabilities in their IT security strategy are exposing themselves to catastrophic dangers. A report by Gartner predicts that by 2025, lack of talent or human error will be responsible for more than half of significant cyber incidents. To combat this, the SANS Institute is celebrating Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October, providing resources such as the SANS Cybersecurity Awareness Month Toolkit to help professionals mitigate human risk.
From the meeting notes, it is clear that the focus is on the potential vulnerabilities that internal employees pose when it comes to IT security strategy. The notes mention that users can make mistakes due to complex or time-consuming security protocols. The risk from human error is highlighted, with a survey revealing that a significant percentage of workers admitted to bypassing their own organizations’ cybersecurity guidance. To address this issue, the SANS Institute is celebrating Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October, offering resources and activities to help security professionals develop effective strategies to mitigate human risk. The SANS Cybersecurity Awareness Month Toolkit, mentioned in the notes, provides information on essential behaviors to increase resiliency against cyberattacks. This toolkit is designed to integrate seamlessly into existing workflows and training programs. It includes Fact Sheets and Internal Communications Templates to educate and communicate best practices to staff. The importance of cybersecurity practices is emphasized, with human beings seen as the largest attack vector for cyber criminals. The free Cybersecurity Awareness Month Toolkit aims to arm all individuals in organizations with the knowledge to defend against these attacks.