» What Are the Most Common Causes of Human Error? | DataLocker Inc.

05.29.21

What Are the Most Common Causes of Human Error?

We all make mistakes, but in the world of cybersecurity, these errors can be costly. In fact, human error causes 90% of all data breaches.

But of the many types of human error, what are the most common issues related to technology? Some of the leading causes of human error in technology include:

  • Poor Understanding of Policy and Procedure
  • Employee Complacency
  • Use of Non-encrypted Devices

Let’s break down these points below.

Poor Understanding of Policy and Procedure

In the business world, policy and procedures dictate how employees behave and perform their duties.

These policies ensure everyone in an organization knows what they should be doing. From simple tasks like locking doors after hours or updating passwords to more complicated procedures such as patching servers on multiple occasions per year, businesses should have rigid policies governing anything related to data protection.

If your employees fail to understand any of your data protection policies, human error is likely to occur. That’s why it’s crucial to set policies and ensure that employees understand them and that businesses enforce them.

Businesses need to set respective cybersecurity policies to make it easier for everyone to understand.

Employee Complacency

Employees who have spent a long time in the same position sometimes grow complacent and skip crucial steps or ignore policies.

This can become especially dangerous when workers are asked to handle sensitive information. Over time, these employees might grow careless, resulting in costly mistakes that lead to a data breach.

Use of Non-Encrypted Devices

With remote work now a standard, data is often shuffled from the office to the home. This on the move data is far too easy for employees to lose on a bus, in an Uber, or just walking down the straight.

In order to avoid this type of human error, it’s wise to adopt encrypted hard drives. These drives secure information such that if they were to be lost, the sensitive data inside is still inaccessible to unauthorized users.

Conclusion

Human error shouldn’t be the reason your business falls prey to hackers and cybercriminals. Rather than become a victim, take whatever precautions you can to ensure that it won’t be costly, even if someone makes a mistake. Be vigilant and start planning for human error now.

If you’re looking for better ways to encrypt data on USB drives, look at DataLocker’s line of encryption solutions.