The Role of Human Error in Cybersecurity Breaches

Human error is one of the most significant vulnerabilities in an organization's cybersecurity defenses. Despite robust firewalls, sophisticated encryption, and cutting-edge technology, the simple actions of employees can expose companies to serious risks. Social engineering exploits these human vulnerabilities, manipulating individuals into giving away confidential information or access, which can lead to substantial breaches and financial losses.

Phishing Attacks are Becoming More Sophisticated

Phishing is a type of Internet fraud that seeks to acquire a user’s credentials by deception. It includes the theft of passwords, credit card numbers, bank account details, and other confidential information. In many cases, even the most well-trained employee can fall victim to an attacker’s psychological tricks. Phishing attacks have evolved from poorly worded, easily identifiable spam emails to highly sophisticated messages that appear legitimate. These emails often impersonate executives, suppliers, or even trusted partners, prompting the recipient to click on malicious links or provide sensitive information like passwords or financial data. The 2016 breach of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is a notable example, where a spear-phishing email targeted key personnel, leading to a high-profile data breach that compromised confidential campaign information.

According to Kaspersky “Being the gateway to many of the worst cyber threats, phishing pages are the first step in a long chain of events that can result in identity theft, financial loss, and reputational damage for both individual consumers and businesses. Everyone must understand the threat and take action to protect themselves.” They mentioned that they blocked 507,851,735 attempts to access fraudulent content globally in 2022, twice the number of attacks it thwarted in 2021. “In Africa, 8.7 percent of individuals and corporate users were affected by phishing: attacks on their devices were detected and stopped.

In Kenya in Q3 2023 increased by 32 percent compared to Q2 2023 and by 12 percent compared to Q3 2022. In Nigeria, there was a 12 percent increase in phishing attack detections in Q3 2023 compared to Q2; however, compared to Q3 2022, the number of phishing detects decreased by 8 percent.

Pretexting Manipulates Employees with Fake Scenarios

Beyond phishing, other social engineering techniques like pretexting can also be dangerous. Pretexting involves creating a fabricated scenario to manipulate employees into divulging information or performing certain actions. For instance, an attacker might pretend to be a member of the IT department, asking an employee to reset their password or grant access to systems. In 2020, Twitter experienced a major breach when hackers used pretexting to convince employees to grant them access to internal tools. The result was a massive hack affecting high-profile accounts, including those of Barack Obama, Elon Musk, and Apple.

Impersonation Exploits Employee Trust

Human error also manifests in the form of carelessness, such as when employees fail to properly verify the identity of people they interact with. Impersonation is another social engineering tactic that exploits this. An attacker could pretend to be a senior executive or a trusted vendor and request immediate action—such as transferring funds or sharing sensitive data. The infamous case of the Google and Facebook scam from 2013 to 2015 saw a man successfully impersonate a vendor, tricking employees into wiring $100 million to fraudulent accounts.

Baiting Lures Employees with Malicious Offers

Baiting, another form of social engineering, preys on an employee’s curiosity or greed. Attackers might leave infected USB drives around an office or send links promising free software. When employees insert these devices or click the links, they inadvertently allow malware into the organization’s network. A classic example occurred in 2008 when malware on a USB drive caused a significant breach in the U.S. Department of Defense network after an employee inserted it into a computer.

Tailgating Relies on Employee Kindness for Physical Access

Tailgating, where an unauthorized person physically follows an authorized individual into a restricted area, is another common social engineering tactic. It is reliant on the goodwill or carelessness of employees, who may hold open doors or fail to question whether the person following them has proper credentials. This tactic was highlighted when cybersecurity firm RSA was breached in 2011. After gaining physical access to their facilities, hackers were able to install malware on the network, leading to the theft of critical security data.

Human Error is a Critical Factor in Social Engineering Attacks

Human error is a critical factor in all of these cases, demonstrating how attackers often bypass technical defenses by simply exploiting people. While no employee is immune to these threats, organizations can minimize the risks by fostering a culture of security awareness. Regular training on recognizing phishing attempts, verifying identities, and reporting suspicious activities is essential. Equally important is creating clear protocols for handling sensitive information, such as requiring multi-step verification for transactions or system changes.

The battle against social engineering is ongoing, and attackers will continue to evolve their tactics to exploit human vulnerabilities. The key to mitigating these risks lies in reducing the opportunities for human error through education, vigilance, and strong organizational policies. Ultimately, the role of human error in cybersecurity breaches reminds us that even the most advanced technologies can be undone by a simple click or an unguarded moment of trust.