, where attackers impersonate employees and convince HR departments to change banking details to divert paychecks, have also become a growing threat.As the custodians of sensitive employee data, gatekeepers of organizational access, and protectors of confidential employee files, HR's involvement in cybersecurity is not slight. But HR's role is often overlooked because cybersecurity is typically viewed as an IT issue rather than an HR issue.
However, if we observe the modus operandi of phishing and social engineering attacks, we can see that they have more to do with human psychology, employee behavior, and organizational culture , rather than an absence of cybersecurity controls or lack of technical knowledge. Organizations need to recognize that HR is a critical link between employees and the cybersecurity posture of the business.
. Employees might find it difficult to comprehend IT jargon, technologies, and concepts. HR can help craft and fine-tune communications to make training content more palatable for everyone.Using phishing simulation exercises, HR can train employees to recognize and report HR-themed phishing emails and gauge their susceptibility to such scams. Employees can be taught to identify common red flags and emphasize the importance of reporting phishing emails to security.
By taking the above proactive steps, HR can instill a security-first mindset in the organization, empower employees to act as human firewalls, and foster a robust and resilient cybersecurity culture and organization. The Newsweek Expert Forum is an invitation-only network of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience.Content labeled as the Expert Forum is produced and managed by Newsweek Expert Forum, a fee based, invitation only membership community. The opinions expressed in this content do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Newsweek or the Newsweek Expert Forum.