The world today is more interconnected than ever, thanks to the internet and digital technologies. Yet, as technology advances, it opens more doors for cybercrime. Regardless of an organisation’s size, no business is safe from cyber-attacks.
A figure from It Governance revealed that in October of this year, there were over 800,000,000 breach records alone, proving the magnitude of the threat businesses face globally.
The year 2020, marked by the pandemic, saw cyber-attacks rated as the fifth top rated risk as opportunistic cybercriminals took advantage of those working remotely. And it shows no sign of slowing down. In fact, predictions indicate that IoT (The Internet of Things – the network of interconnected physical devices or “things” that communicate and exchange data over the internet) cyber-attacks alone are expected to double by 2025.
From attacks on companies like T-Mobile, Marriott Hotels, and Yahoo, the scale and sophistication of cyberattacks are alarming. Nearly every industry has to embrace new solutions and adapt to prepare themselves for future data breaches.
Why is cybersecurity so important?
Cybersecurity is not just about protecting your organisation’s data; it’s about safeguarding the integrity of the business, preserving customer trust, and ensuring operational continuity.
But the damage from cyber-attacks goes far beyond financial losses; it can impact your organisation’s reputation, and customer and employee relationships, which can take years and years to rebuild.
It’s everyone’s responsibility
Addressing cybersecurity is not solely the duty of IT departments – it requires the cooperation of every individual within your organisation.
Employees play a crucial role in protecting your organisation against cyber-attacks – all it takes is one person to fall victim to a phishing email or accidentally downloading malware, putting your business at risk.
Educating them on best practice for cybersecurity is key – make them aware of potential risks, how they adhere to security protocols, and how to identify and report suspicious activities. It can and will make a significant difference.
The need for robust policies
To empower employees to protect your organisation from cyberattacks, you must have robust policies in place. These policies should equip employees with the complete knowledge and tools to identify potential threats, report risks, and escalate breaches. Be mindful to also have a secure and confidential system set up for employees to raise internal concerns for whistleblowing on malpractice.
Leveraging the employee voice
Employee voice can serve as a valuable measure of the effectiveness of your organisation’s cybersecurity strategy. Your people on the ground using your systems every day and can often be the first to spot areas where training around cybersecurity may be lacking or where new threats are arising.
If cybersecurity policies are unclear, hard to follow, or perhaps there is a gap in knowledge, regular feedback can help identify these gaps that may unintentionally expose the organisation to greater risk.
Similarly beneficial, regular employee listening can serve as a source of innovative ideas to enhance your cybersecurity measures. Employees’ hands-on experience using your organisation’s systems every day and unique perspective may generate valuable suggestions for improvement which may not be visible to management or IT teams.
In the face of escalating cyber threats, organisations must take proactive steps in managing risks. This includes not only investing in advanced security technologies but also leveraging the employee voice as a critical component of their cybersecurity strategy. Strengthen your organisations cybersecurity with insights from within – reach out to the WorkBuzz team at hello@workbuzz.com to discover how our platform helps you regularly survey your employees, spot potential concerns, and take action to address them.