5 Ways your Employees May Accidentally Compromise IT Security

The first thing that comes to mind when you think about the IT security of a firm is intruders from without the organization. In most cases, human resources are somehow considered the weakest link when it comes to cyber safety. As much as people tend to focus more on the malicious threats of hackers, the experts on IT services warn that the more significant risk comes from unintentional mistakes.

Here are five ways in which your employees may accidentally compromise IT security of your firm:

1. Connecting Personal Devices

Personal devices such as phones, tablets, and laptops that employees use to access information of the company pose huge cyber risks. In most cases, these devices are connected to the data of the company despite having proper security.

A challenge posed by bringing your own device (BYOD) indicates that personal devices are never secured enough to protect sensitive data. Additionally, the IT department rarely monitors these devices.

2.Visiting Questionable Websites

Surfing the web is undeniably the most common mistake employees make. Most of the sites, especially the most popular ones, are often preyed upon by cybercriminals. Most hackers compromise these websites and trap users into submitting personal information that is later used against them. 

Employees should always be cautious when surfing the internet to avoid compromising the cyber safety of the business. Accordingly, it is essential to look out for the padlock display on websites before clicking any link. This display is indicative that the site is safely encrypted.

3.Downloading Content Online

Some files and applications that are found online contain malware that is a threat to the IT security of a firm. Downloading such material puts the business at risk. Employees are therefore cautioned to check the providers of such files before downloading them using the computers of the organization. The most risk software is the open-source ones.

Alternatively, the IT team is equally supposed to employ protective software that detects malware in downloaded files.

4.Poor Password Protection

The first line of defense in the fight against cybercrime is the use of a strong password. IT experts often stress this area, but employees often make the same common mistakes again. Ignorance or laziness sum up the simple mistake that can have massive repercussions on the cybersecurity of the entire organization. 

5.Connecting to Public Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi hotspots are commonly becoming an area that cybercriminals use to prey on sensitive information of companies. Once connected to the hotspot, hackers can easily access files and data from the connected devices as well as distribute malware.

A public hotspot may offer an easy way of working online, but at the same time pose a considerable threat to cybersecurity.

Final words

To protect your business IT solutions, you need to be very vigilant and educate your employees on cyber safety and the best practices. Workers should use the designed systems as they are meant to be used and avoid shortcuts to make them look convenient. Accordingly, using strong passwords and protected software should always be prioritized ahead of anything else.

As it stands, a lot of threats to the IT security of any organization can be countered by the use of sophisticated technology. However, the ever-increasing mistakes made at work prove that the best way to combat this menace is by applying the weapon of ages: common sense.