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To succeed in today’s modern competitive business landscape, you need to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your employees. This will equip you to identify areas where employees may need further training, including cybersecurity awareness.

Are you sure that your employees can resist threats and prevent cyberattacks?

Certain employee traits can indicate a lack of cybersecurity knowledge or awareness. For example, individuals who regularly click on phishing emails or fall victim to social engineering attacks are likely unaware of the dangers of these threats. Similarly, employees who do not adhere to cybersecurity best practices, such as using strong passwords, may also demonstrate a lack of awareness or motivation.

If you notice any of these behaviours in your employees, it’s essential to empower them with the latest cybersecurity training and best practices. By doing so, you can help protect your business against the dangers of cyberattacks.

In this blog post, we attempt to categorize the most common employee traits so that you can identify individuals who require additional attention.

Traits to watch out for

Although there are numerous ways to classify employee traits, we believe the four listed below cover the most common character traits.

The skeptic

Skeptical individuals believe that a cyberattack will never happen to them. They don’t understand the significance of regularly changing their passwords or using two-factor authentication. This callous behaviour is exactly what cybercriminals exploit to attack the organization. They have a high success rate when businesses and their employees don’t take the necessary safety precautions.

Remember, cybercriminals are out there and they’re very good at staying under the radar, making it difficult to spot them if you’re not actively looking for them.

The procrastinator

Cybersecurity procrastinators know they are critical to preventing hackers from infiltrating systems, but they’ll worry about finally connecting to your virtual private network (VPN) or deploying that security patch tomorrow.

Those with the procrastinator cybersecurity trait also have a love-hate relationship with the dozens of red bubbles on their apps and software. They know that if left unchecked, the situation could quickly spiral out of control, but they will prioritize other tasks and wait until “the next day” to take care of the issue.

The naive

Although naivete is not synonymous with foolishness, those who are inexperienced in cybersecurity might trust too easily.

Do you know people who leave their computers unlocked when they go out for lunch? Or the remote worker who uses the free Wi-Fi at coffee shops? Some individuals even write their passwords on post-it notes; we’ve all been guilty of doing this at some point.

While it may seem to this type of employee that they’re surrounded by good people, the threat might be sitting right next to them.

The employee with good intentions

If cybersecurity best practices were an exam, this type of employee would get an A+. They are cautious of emails with links or attachments, use complex passwords to deter hackers and are always informed of the latest threats. However, even the employees with the best of intentions can be targeted by a cybercriminal and not know it. That’s why providing your team with the latest cybersecurity awareness training is crucial.

Collaborate for success

It must be clear by now that EoL/EoS software and hardware can pose several risks to your organization. Implementing all the practical steps listed above to avoid these risks can be overwhelming if you don’t have assistance. This is where an IT service provider like us can come in handy.

We can help you protect your company from the dangers of EoL/EoS software and hardware. To learn more, feel free to contact us today.

Meanwhile, you can go through our infographic “What Does End of Support Mean for Your Business?” which you can download by clicking here.