Not many people know what the biggest threat to IT infrastructure is at the moment. Malware, ransomware and crypto are common answers but surprisingly these are incorrect. Although they are still a very big threat, it’s end users that take the win as the most significant risk.
As much work as hackers put into spreading malware across your system, it is all useless unless an end user opens it up and gives it a chance to wreak havoc. Another factor that is in the hands of the end user are weak passwords. Having a strong password seems like a simple way to avoid an attack but unfortunately end users who are untrained or unaware of the importance of secure passwords causes this to happen frequently. Unfortunately, much more frequently than it should.
How big of a problem is this? According to a study by ID Agent:
- In 2019 alone, 80% of data breaches were the result of password compromise.
- Typically, the average person reuses the same password 14 times.
- About 81% of hacking breaches were caused by passwords being compromised.
- About 13% of people use the exact same password across all accounts and devices.
What are some ways to make end users aware of this?
- Use a Password Manager and train the staff/end users on the benefits and ease of using a password manager. It is a much more secure route, while the user only needs to remember one password to access the password manager.
- Teach staff what information is important to protect, as well as being aware of possible phishing attempts and how to identify them.
- Make staff feel invested in the company, so they know what is at stake and what could be at risk to lose.
