Are Presumptions Undermining Your Security Efforts?

While there are plenty of ways for a business to secure its resources, there are just as many ways for your employees to undermine these protections… often without even realizing that they’re doing so. Let’s focus on some of the cognitive biases that you and your team members might experience when it comes to your security.

Jumping on the Bandwagon

You know that old saying, “If everyone jumped off a cliff, would you do it too?” Well, sometimes it can seem that the cliff in question is the latest and so-called greatest cybersecurity tool, and that the answer is a resounding “yes.” The problem is that not all of these tools deserve this kind of blind trust.

If a solution has some perceived level of trust amongst the industry, it can be easy to overlook any inherent problems it might have. Naturally, you need to avoid this as much as possible and consider all of your proposed solutions critically. Even if there are no inherent issues with a solution, there is no guarantee that it will suit your business as well as it does another.

Confirmation Bias

It can also be tempting to ignore any information that doesn’t support the outcome you want, or assume that you’re the exception to the rule. For instance, if your business goes its first year or so with minimal issues, it could be tempting to assume that you won’t be targeted. On the other hand, should you be attacked, you may assume that it’s the biggest, baddest, most infamous hacker group responsible. These assumptions could very well lead you down the wrong path, exacerbating your issues and keeping you vulnerable.

Understanding that the real threats don’t always come from hoodie-wearing hoodlums in dark rooms and that some hacking outfits look more corporate than many corporations will be key to acknowledging where your biggest risk factors lie.

Relying Too Much on Business Jargon

Communication is crucial to a business’ success, particularly in terms of its threat management. Having said that, there can often be some pressure to use certain language in all matters, security considerations included. While it may sound all good and impressive to say that your business has been evolving robust solutions to facilitate B2B relationships and aggregate security measures, it’s pretty meaningless to the layperson. Security solutions can’t be described in fluffy language if you want them to be used effectively.

Avoiding these biases is crucial to your business success. Walsh IT Group can help with the other part by implementing all the solutions you need to ensure your security. Reach out to us at (832) 295-1445 to get started.