Blog
The CybSafe blog is a collection of stories, updates and guidance for people-centric security professionals.
How can phishing affect a business?
Phishing attacks are on the rise. In 2020, 93% of UK organisations were targeted by Covid-19-related malware. 88% of security professionals reported an increase in phishing attacks. Typically, criminals behind phishing attacks aren’t attempting to steal money....
How can we prepare for the challenges of hybrid working in 2021?
When Covid-19 swept the world, businesses moved rapidly to enable remote working. Before the pandemic, less than 30% of people in the UK had ever worked remotely. In April 2020, nearly half of UK employees worked at home. Looking ahead, a wholesale return to office...
What the government must do to tackle cyber crime
Almost half of UK businesses (46%) and a quarter of UK charities (26%) reported cyber security breaches or attacks in the last 12 months. The figures are higher for medium-sized businesses (68%) and large businesses (75%). Cybercrime is on the rise. So it’s just as...
7 reasons why security awareness training is important
Data breaches cost UK organisations an average of £2.9 million per breach. In 2019, human error accounted for 90% of breaches. Those facts alone are usually enough to convince people security awareness training is important. Usually. Only 1 in 9 businesses...
3 common causes of cyber attacks that show we’re making things too easy for today’s cyber criminals
While causes of cyberattacks vary, some occur again and again. Here are the top three ways we’re letting the criminals in. We all take steps to keep our homes and our possessions safe. Whenever we go out, we lock our doors and close our windows so criminals can’t find...
If you want to change security behaviour, stop thinking like a security professional, start thinking like an entrepreneur.
In 1998, Evan Goldberg revolutionised an industry. This is what we can learn from his story. It was 1998. Evan Goldberg was the owner of a one failed start-up and another that was yet to make a single sale. Still, as he worked on his new venture – from an...
Post-pandemic, CISOs are overlooking an important cyber defence
In the new normal, we need to make the most of every defence we have “OK, hit me with it,” says Chief Technology Officer Xu Parker to his CISO, Jeff Jones. Jeff has had ample time to prepare for the Zoom meeting. He’s ready for the question. He purses his lips. “On...
We thought we needed to secure remote workers. We were wrong.
Post-COVID, we need to do a great deal more It’s CybSafe’s monthly virtual All Hands meeting. We’re 15 minutes in. And CEO Oz Alashe has just announced some significant news: Following COVID, no CybSafe employee will be bound to a physical office. Instead, CybSafe...
[FREE] A beginner’s introduction to cyber security & the human aspect of cyber security
This list of free (or cheap) resources is a good introduction to the world of cyber security and the human aspect of cyber security. It’s by no means exhaustive, covering only the most fundamental concepts. Nevertheless, it’s a great place to start for beginners and...
Zero-trust is up post-COVID-19, but you’d be wrong for thinking it will keep networks safe.
“Now a good chunk of your critical assets are behind the firewall, but all your employees are not.” That’s what NetMotion CEO Christopher Kenessey said recently. He was summarising the problem we’re all facing: All of a sudden, the working world has changed. How can...
How to make sure remote workers learn security skills from others – Part 2
As we discussed in part one of this post, isolation restricts remote worker security. (Read part one here before continuing.) Remote workers can’t watch others. They rarely receive verbal feedback. And even if they did, remote workers tend to feel their environment...
Security awareness is dead. Long live borderless security awareness.
If we’re honest with ourselves, we’ve all known it for a long time. Posters. Compulsory e-learning. Seminars and desk-drops. They’re security awareness staples. And they’re now all, without question, ineffective. They’re designed to teach people about security. Just...
Does isolation restrict remote worker security? – Part 1
Research shows how “social learning” impacts security skills – and it says a lot about securing remote workers. Remote working is here to stay. And there are benefits. But when it comes to security, remote working poses a problem. Remote workers know less about...
From 8th-12th of June 2020, PeepSec is back! Here’s what to expect…
From 8th-12th June 2020, the official London Tech Week event PeepSec is back! You can register to attend for free here. And there's good reason to. In 2020, PeepSec is perhaps more relevant than it’s ever been before... What is PeepSec? PeepSec is the world’s first...
How to secure Zoom, Houseparty and other video conferencing apps
We can all take steps to increase the security of video conferencing apps. This guide explains how. General tips Some general actions enhance the security of all video conferencing apps, such as: 1. Updating software Software updates patch known vulnerabilities and...
Why some people may take more security risks when working remotely
And a free resource to ensure they don’t... It’s 9:30am on a Wednesday and CybSafe’s Sam Oliver looks a little odd. He’s just joined a regular CybSafe meeting. It’s a meeting to which Sam usually wears business dress. But today Sam is dressed casually. And he isn’t...
Why I’m delighted with Forrester’s recognition of CybSafe
Independent Research Firm Forrester has named CybSafe a leader in its Security Awareness and Training Solutions report. According to CybSafe CEO Oz Alashe, it’s a big step towards keeping people and societies safe. A “leader” in our field CybSafe has been named a...
Six security essentials for those working from home
The COVID-19 outbreak is promoting remote working. Here’s how to minimise cyber risk when working from home 1. Use company-approved devices Mental blueprints dictate how we behave in any given situation. Our blueprints might prompt us to use personal laptops...
Cyber criminals are using COVID-19 cover stories in new phishing attacks
Here’s how to spot and stop the attacks Criminals are using COVID-19 stories to convince people to do things they’d never normally do. In one deplorable scam, cyber criminals email elderly targets. The criminals claim they represent medical organisations. They ask for...
Why we need new and better human cyber risk metrics
To make a difference as a security professional today, you need board support. You need resources. You need directors to trust and back you. You need organisational leaders to promote security. So whenever you have the board’s attention – or the attention of those who...
Why do some organisations use two security awareness training solutions at once?
Why do some organisations often use two or more security awareness training solutions at once? That’s a question that grabbed our attention when it popped up on social recently. The comment highlighted the following security oddity… Increasing numbers of organisations...
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