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How Human Mistakes Contribute to Cybersecurity Incidents and Ways to Reduce Risks

According to an IBM study, 95% of cybersecurity breaches were caused by human errors. In other words, if necessary, precautions had been taken, 19/20 cyber breaches might not have occurred at all.

Data breaches due to human errors have increased, and our current approaches aren’t sufficient to stay updated.

Let’s examine the different types of human error that cause data breaches, how to prevent them, and how to improve security.

What is Human Error in Cybersecurity?

In terms of cybersecurity, human errors can refer to actions done by the employees and users that cause, spread, or allow a security breach to occur.

Human error can be intentional or unintentional. It can be anything ranging from downloading malware with infected attachments to failing to use a strong password, which gives intruders easy access.

What Causes Human Error?

As per the records from Psychology of Human Error, most of the accidents happened when they were distracted, stressed, or tired.

Employees also have to deal with the constant threat of cyber criminals. With the rise in social engineering, there’s a bigger risk of employees being manipulated into unknowingly surrendering sensitive data or credentials to malicious actors.

Types of Human Error

Even though humans can make mistakes in different ways, most of these errors fall into two main types: skill-based and decision-based errors.

Skill-based errors

These errors happen during task execution or management, often due to a lack of technical skills required for the job.

Sometimes, even though the user may know the correct method, they may fail to follow by overlooking the right steps.

For example, the user may accidentally click on a malicious link when distracted, even though they were aware of such attacks.

Decision-based errors

These errors occur when a user makes fully faulty decisions, often made under uncertainty or lack of information. The user may not even realise the mistakes through their inactions.

For example, an IT admin disables a firewall for testing but forgets to turn it back on, leaving the network exposed.

Examples of Human Error

Humans are more often the weakest link in terms of cybersecurity defense.

Below are some examples of the most common errors.

Weak Passwords

According to a report from the National Centre for Cyber Security, the password “123456” continues to be the most popular password choice.

Reusing the Same Password

Around 65% of users reuse passwords and rarely update them, heightening cyber risks.

If one account is breached, attackers can gain access to multiple accounts.

Misconfigured Settings

Misconfigured system applications can be exposed to threats.

Attackers can use this information to gain unauthorized access and exploit.

Lack of Security Updates

Failing to install software updates leaves systems exposed to known security vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit.

Social Engineering Attacks

It is a manipulation technique that tricks users into revealing sensitive information or performing actions leading to compromised security.

Insufficient Backups

Ignoring regular data backups can lead to significant losses during cyberattacks or corruption.

Backups are crucial for quick recovery and preventing permanent data loss.

Solutions and Common Practices

Human error can be influenced by three key factors: opportunity, environment, and insufficient training.

Opportunity

Humans can be prone to making mistakes while making security decisions.

The more security decisions people make, the higher the chance of mistakes.

Environment

Complex processes lead to skipped steps, while high workloads and stress cause errors.

Poor communication, lack of resources, unclear policies, and low motivation can increase mistakes.

Employee well-being also impacts accuracy.

Insufficient Training

If the employees are poorly trained, it may lead to financial loss, damage to reputation, and legal implications.

How to Prevent Human Error-based Data Breaches

Access Controls: Enable role-based access control (RBAC) for user verification to ensure unauthorized access is restricted.

Network Segmentation: Containing an attack is easier through subnet working. Keeping segments of the network as sub-networks enables better overall security.

Strong Authentication: Advanced password managers alongside multi-factor authentication (MFA) bolsters security by generating and keeping passwords for entire organizations.

Encryption: To maintain data integrity and confidentiality, use encryption. To minimize unauthorized access, ensure data is encrypted during transmission and while stored.

Asset Inventory: Use of a digital checklist ensures that all security assets, both physical (hardware) and digital (software) are up to date and current.

Regular Updates: Issues with software should never be allowed to linger, as the gaps can be used to attack. Resolving software issues helps avoid risk and is mandatory if compliance is needed.

Endpoint Protection: Threats do not only exist on the internet; monitoring and protection from these threats must be put in place for any device connected to a network or a cloud.

Secure Configuration — These controls are applied while computers and network devices are built and installed. That is, make sure that you have your configurations set up properly so that attackers are not able to leverage any vulnerabilities you may have.

Dark Web Monitoring: Monitor the dark web for leaked credentials or session tokens that attackers use to launch ransomware attacks. That way, you can know when cybercriminals have captured your sensitive data.

Engage with CyberDisti, a reputable cybersecurity firm with a presence across India, the Middle East, and Africa (MEA), to enhance your digital footprint, secure your data, and bolster your resilience against cyber threats.