Only human…
When most people think of data loss they are instantly drawn to either hackers hiding in the shadows such as Lisbeth Salander from Girl with the Dragon Tattoo or a hardware failure. But the reality might just surprise you:
Human error is still the leading cause of data breaches; not sophisticated cyberattacks, not failed hardware just everyday human mistakes.
The majority of data breaches that are reported to the ICO are classed as “non-cyber incidents” originating from human error.
The most common cause of breaches – incorrectly addressed emails
In 2023, the most common incident type across UK organisations was “email sent to the wrong recipient” when taken on a global scale misaddressed emails account for around 16% of all reported data breaches. In fact only this week there are reports that PAX8 a Microsoft reseller for MSPs in the UK has sent an email with every partners information and MS licenses supplied to them.
And its just not email, other human factors that regularly appear in reports to the ICO include:
- Failure to use BCC
- Misconfigured Systems
- Lost paperwork
These all fall under the “non-cyber” breaches banner and make up about 75% of all incidents reported in 2023.
Cyberattacks even begin with Human Error
When an attack is classed as a cyber incident; most of the time a human is still often the starting point. Phishing remains one of the most lucrative methods of cyber criminals to exploit, data from the ICO shows the it accounts for a large portion of incidents, with a major rise year on year.
This can be condensed down to:
- Humans make mistakes
- Attackers exploit these flaws
- Business pays the price
Reducing the human risk
We will never be able to ditch the human error element – we are human after all. But we can help reduce it with the right systems, tools and training in place.
Undo IT Support can help strengthen your defenses with the following:
1. Smart Controls & Protection
We can help your business implement measures to help protect your data such as:
- Role-based access controls
- Safeguarding email and Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
- Auto-detection and redaction of sensitive information / attachments
This layered security can help prevent the majority of errors from becoming reportable breaches.
2. Security Awareness Training (SAT)
Data collected from the ICO and independent analysis continue to paint the picture that it is human behaviour that is the driver behind the majority of data loss incidents.
This is where our SAT can help:
- Build good digital habits
- Avoid common scenarios such as misaddressed emails
- Reinforce your digital security policies
- Recognise phishing attempts
This training can help your business create a human firewall for an added layer of protection to your business.
3. Back-up & Recovery Solutions
No matter how much training and controls you put in place mistakes (and data failure) still can happen.
We can help your business data stay protected and ensure that your business has:
- Reliable back-ups across your platforms
- Back-up testing, to ensure that your data is recoverable
- Fast & Secure restoration process
Having an effective (and tested) backup solution can ensure that a human error will not lead to a company wide disaster.
Protect your business by reducing the risk factor of your staff
Human error is not a failure; it is a fact of working life. But with the right support for your business you can:
- Minimise Incidents
- Reduce your risk
- Protect your customer data
- Keep your data where it should be
- Reduce costs
Undo IT Support are here to empower your people, policies and protect your systems helping you to build a secure and resilient business.
If you want to know more about how we can help ensure your data is safe get in touch with us today.