Data breaches are a significant issue in today’s global cybersecurity threats. The critical issue here is that cybercriminals often trick people into handing over their personal information, banking details, and credit card numbers by pretending to be real or official companies. These criminals then use what they’ve gathered to turn around and make purchases on the victims’ behalf – or worse, sell their data on the dark web.
Human errors are often to blame for the data breaches, with employees inserting personal information into unsecured computer systems. Unintentional mistakes by employees at the companies involved can expose sensitive information. Here are some of the most common human errors that result in cyberattacks.
1. Decision-based Errors
Many data breaches happen because of errors made by employees hired for their skills rather than their cybersecurity knowledge. Cyberthreats are becoming more and more prevalent, so companies need to hire people who know what they’re doing regarding information security. They could start by asking potential employees the right questions during job interviews. Answering such questions as “how would you hack into our computer system?” or “how do you protect sensitive data?” will indicate how much they know about these issues.
2. Misuse of passwords and login credentials
Anyone using the same password for multiple sites makes it easy for hackers to access their accounts. Having the same password for multiple accounts is also a common mistake. Password mishaps that happen can lead to hackers getting access to large numbers of sites at once – it’s also easy for them to intercept passwords and login information being transmitted over the internet.
3. Skill-based Errors
Even with the necessary skills for the job, potential employees can make mistakes about cybersecurity that could lead to data breaches. Various factors can lead to skilled-based errors, including not paying attention, destruction, tiredness, etc.
A lapse of attention is when a cybersecurity employee is using the computer system for routine tasks when, all of a sudden, something catches their eye. It could be anything from a fascinating news article to a social media post that catches their attention.
They might have been working on the computer for hours without taking any breaks or having enough water – and now they can’t resist checking out that exciting thing. All this occurs while sensitive information is open in another tab on the screen, making it easy for cybercriminals to access the information easily.
Several other common human errors lead to cybersecurity breaches, including the actions of third parties and natural disasters. The best way to prevent cyber threats is to train employees and contractors on information security policies. They should be able to spot phishing emails and social media scams and identify other suspicious activity.