Unmasking a surprising vulnerability in your workforce
Recent research has unveiled an unforeseen twist in the realm of cyber security risks – your digitally-savvy younger employees may constitute a major vulnerability.
Surprised? Let’s delve deeper into the particulars.
A comprehensive survey of over 6,500 employees worldwide, spanning diverse demographics, yielded quite alarming results.
The findings highlighted a remarkable trend among younger office workers, those aged 40 or younger, who are more inclined to disregard established password security norms. Astonishingly, 34% of them confessed to using their birthdates as passwords, in contrast to only 19% of their counterparts above 40.
But that’s not the end of it. Younger employees also exhibited a greater tendency to reuse passwords across multiple devices, with 38% openly admitting to this practice.
And the issue of phishing scams? A staggering 23% of the younger demographic chose not to report the last phishing attempt they encountered. Their rationale? “I didn’t think it was important.”
But do they truly grasp the severity of cybersecurity threats to businesses? The answer is a bit nuanced.
While 23% and 22% of employees acknowledged ransomware and phishing as significant threats, the overall sentiment regarding cyber security falls short of expectations.
Here’s the kicker: a significant portion of those surveyed revealed that their organisations did not offer mandatory cyber security training. So, can we truly blame our younger workforce when it’s evident that businesses aren’t doing enough to equip their employees with essential cyber security skills?
It’s high time we cease treating cyber security as an afterthought and begin investing in regular cyber awareness training for all within our organisations. Yes, everyone. Not solely the tech team or executives but every single employee.
Ultimately, it’s not just about safeguarding your business; it’s about fostering a safer digital world for all of us.
We’re here to assist you with that. Reach out to us.
