Enhancing the Human Element of Cybersecurity through better User Experience
The human element is considered the weakest point on the security chain in the online world. With security breaches frequently occurring these days, human error is the cause of almost 90% of these breaches. In the business, attackers will often trick employees into clicking on email attachments or sharing their personal information with the attacker, allowing them to gain access to the network and cause damage.
With the plethora of security tools implemented on most organization websites, a false sense of solid security is present. Security tools developed by security experts design their applications to secure the organization's infrastructure without considering the customer's perspective. These complex security solutions make it difficult for the user to navigate through the application daily, ending with the user not using the tool or finding a workaround as employees are under a deadline and required to use their applications quickly. These events lead to increased security risks. It is therefore essential to develop a balanced security platform that makes it easier for the user through improved User Experience. The simplicity in design will cause users to opt-in for the tool more often.
Securely storing passwords and having them auto filled can solve the issue of the time required to gain access. Integrating security tools that include single sign-on, multifactor authentication, active directory, and even hardware keys to authenticate quickly. Enforcing the policies throughout the organization helps the developers maintain standard procedures.
66% of security breaches comprise compromised credentials where important password details make it into the hands of bad actors who can access the network. Designing a zero-trust architecture makes it more convenient and secure for users to access company information. Creating a human-centric password while ensuring the zero-trust principle of least privilege helps monitor the users and their network activities to stop any malicious activity detected.
About the Author
Ruben George