Are humans the weak link when it comes to cyber security?

Cyber attacks and security threats are growing at an unprecedented rate, affecting businesses across the globe. Could we be the reason these attacks are on the uptick?

Mimecast has released a report on cyber attacks, displaying the rapid pace at which they are growing. 2024 is being forecast as the year of cyber crime, with many already worrying about the potential impact of interference.

With new advanced threats like artificial intelligence (AI) and deepfake technology, the stakes are higher than ever to have strategies in place that can execute strong cyber defence. The key to a strong defence against cyber attacks is knowledge, and employees must have the correct information and tactics to ensure they don’t fall prey to these issues.

The report highlighted that human risk is the biggest security gap, and IT teams must continue to better equip employees with the right tools and training so they can avoid these attacks. Seventy-four per cent of all cyber breaches are caused by human factors, including errors, stolen credentials, misuse of access privileges, or social engineering.

The human risk becomes more dangerous as AI advancements continue. The complexity of AI in 2024 requires tight-knit safeguards to exclude the imminent risk it has. IT teams are proactively stepping up their defence strategies to counteract this.

The emergence of AI is accelerating the spread of phishing and ransomware by making it easier for threat actors to perpetrate successful attacks. Eighty-five per cent of Australian respondents are concerned about new threats posed by AI, and 72 per cent say AI-driven attacks will soon become the norm.

As companies prepare for new threats, they’re viewing cyber risks as a bigger business problem, not just an IT problem, because it will take contributions from all sectors within the business to dispel these threats. Negligence from everyone, especially IT teams, is unacceptable in 2024.

In terms of the threats to businesses, email remains the primary attack point for cyber threats like phishing, spoofing, and ransomware. Collaboration tools pose new and dangerous points of entry for bad actors, as 80 per cent of Australian IT professionals expect these tools to pose new threats, and 61 per cent believe it is likely that their company will be harmed by a collaboration tool-based attack.

Garrett O’Hara, Mimecast senior director, stated: “Emerging tools and technologies like AI and deepfakes, along with the proliferation of collaboration platforms, are changing the way threat actors work, but people remain the biggest barrier to protecting companies from cyber threat.”

Once again, education is crucial to alleviating the problem of human risk when it comes to cyber security. Employees must be made aware of how they can avoid the work of threat actors and how to keep their systems safe from being exploited.

“Cyber security and IT teams need to work with wider business leaders to prioritise understanding human risk. With the right tools and education, companies can better safeguard against threats and manage human risk,” concluded O’Hara.