The Human Factor: The Weakest Link in Corporate Cybersecurity Introduction

But why does this happen? The answer is clear: lack of cybersecurity training and awareness. If employees aren't prepared and the company doesn't implement prevention protocols, no technological system will be sufficient to prevent an attack.

Why is the Human Factor the Biggest Risk?

A. Lack of Cybersecurity Knowledge

Many employees don't know how to identify:

Phishing emails (Is that "support@micros0ft.com" sender legitimate?).

Malicious links (Is that attached PDF really a document or ransomware?).

Social engineering (Is that call from "IT" asking for credentials real?).

An IBM study revealed that 95% of cybersecurity incidents are due to human errors that can be avoided with proper training.

B. Poor Security Practices

Weak passwords ("123456", "password", the company name).

Password reuse (the same password for email, social media, and the internal system).

Unprotected devices (infected USB drives, unencrypted cell phones).

An attacker doesn't need advanced skills to exploit these flaws: with a simple brute-force or phishing attack, they can access the entire corporate network.

C. Overreliance on Technology

Companies often think:

"We have a good antivirus, we're protected."

"Our firewall blocks everything."

But if an employee clicks on a malicious link or enters their credentials on a fake page, not even the best software in the world can prevent disaster.

Real-World Cases of Human Failures in Cybersecurity

A. The Twitter Attack (2020)

In July 2020, hackers tricked Twitter employees through a spear phishing (targeted phishing) and vishing (fraudulent calls) attack. Attackers gained access to the accounts of celebrities like Elon Musk and Bill Gates to scam them with Bitcoin. It all started with a scam involving an employee.

B. The Colonial Pipeline Ransomware (2021)

The largest US gas pipeline company suffered a ransomware attack that paralysed its operations. How did the hackers get in? They stole a VPN password stored in an unprotected repository. A simple human error cost millions in ransom and losses.

C. CEO Fraud (Business Email Compromise)

In this scheme, attackers pose as executives and request urgent transfers from finance employees. According to the FBI, this fraud has cost companies more than $26 billion since 2016.

How to Strengthen the Weak Link?

A. Ongoing Cybersecurity Training

Phishing Drills: Teach employees to recognize suspicious emails.

Practical workshops: Demonstrate how to create strong passwords and use two-factor authentication (2FA).

Clear policies: Prohibit the use of unauthorized USB drives or access to public networks without a VPN.

B. Proactive Security Culture

Reward employees who report phishing attempts.

Update protocols with temporary passwords and least-privilege access.

Perform social engineering pentests to detect internal vulnerabilities.

C. Technology as a Support, Not the Sole Solution

Network segmentation: Limit access to critical data.

Monitor for anomalous behaviour (e.g., an employee downloading files en masse).

Automatic backups to mitigate ransomware.

Conclusion

No company is 100% secure if its employees are not prepared. Technology alone is not enough. You need to invest in training, and awareness is the best defence against attacks that exploit the weakest link: people.

Is your company really protected? Don't wait for an attack to take action.

🔒 Solution: At Not Friendly Software, we offer social engineering pentesting and cybersecurity training to strengthen your first line of defence: your employees.