Cyber threats emerge in all aspects of a business, and the assets at risk reside throughout the organization. While recent history has shown us that one of the greatest assets subject to cyber attack is employee data, history has also revealed that the behavior of an individual within the organization can often serve an unwitting vehicle for cyber mayhem. Our employees are our greatest human asset but can also be our greatest vulnerability if not properly trained, managed, and directed to meet the necessary guidelines for compliance and industry standards to create a secure environment.
The chief person responsible for molding a thoroughly-prepared and vigilant employee force that can recognize and avoid cyber threats, is you, Human Resources Executive.
Industries are finally beginning to understand the criticality of HR’s involvement in crafting and executing strategies to create a solid cyber security posture. In an article entitled “Managing Insider Risk through Training & Culture”, IBM’s Ponemon Institute polled several questions concerning cyber security training to expose the fact that “Sixty-six percent of respondents admit employees are the weakest link in their efforts to create a strong security posture.” The Ponemon Institute article goes on to explain that the main contributions to the human vulnerability factor are a lack of risk awareness and insufficient training procedures; both issues that fall under the direction of the human resources lead.
It is a realized irony that while employees may be the weakest link in successful cyber security posture, they also have the most personal information to lose. The predicament creates unstable ground that only HR can coerce into balance. As both the Society for Human Resources explains and Global HR Research clearly reiterates, because of the highly sensitive personal information contained in HR files, “it's absolutely imperative that HR professionals not only have a comprehensive understanding of how to protect data within their own department, but also the company as a whole.” , HR must ensure that employees have access to proper and adequate training to understand risks, can access the tools and policies to help them meet industry guidelines, and are directed to establish a solid compliance environment.
As an HR executive, you already understand the importance of controls and policies for employees to follow ensuring that members of the organization conduct themselves in a manner that maximizes productivity while minimizing liability. Best practices of most industries are with you, supporting the movement that HR leadership must ensure that its training protocols for employees facilitate a solid cyber security posture and regulatory compliance environment. What’s left is to organize, strategize, and lead the charge for a Risk Aware Lifestyle™.
How Maxxsure Can Help
Maxxsure offers a program to help you to achieve a Risk Aware Lifestyle by continually assessing and addressing the cyber risk factors of your team, unique organization, vendors, customers, and products. It provides the measurements and tools you need to instill the Risk Aware Lifestyle. Specifically, Maxxsure offer a metric tool known as the M-Score™. which allows you to quantify cyber risk across six fundamental pillars that contribute to cybe resiliency . With the metric in place, you can routinely evaluate controls, policies, processes, and risk probability in order to prioritize initiatives, measure project success, and manage cyber risk. Having data points that help you to monitor and manage around-the-clock, allows you to focus on cultivating a culture of compliance and comprehension in your team and reduce the likelihood of loss. With improved awareness and better processes for leading your team through data-driven prioritization of risk management tactics, you can concentrate the organization on innovation and growth without having to worry endlessly about employee data and what errors may affect your cyber security posture. No cyber threat can be removed, and cyber risk is certainly a permanent challenge to combat, but Maxxsure can help you strengthen your cyber risk management program with just the right tools for risk remediation and transference.