Interestingly, high levels of narcissism in users correlate with susceptibility to phishing attacks. So does high levels of neuroticism, one of the five main personality traits. Another study found that procrastination, impulsivity, risk-taking, and reluctance to think about the future lead to increased susceptibility to fraudulent activities.
Qualities can help identify cybersecurity risks among different groups of employees, allowing for more targeted training and remediation. Even more informal surveys can reveal differences in cybersecurity knowledge, which can then be improved. Other tests designed to assess specific cybersecurity skills may also be useful.
One study that surveyed employees at two IT austria mobile database found that sales teams were the ones with the greatest lack of cybersecurity knowledge. While some employees were eager to learn more, they found that they had no access to that knowledge. They found that they lacked the time to gain knowledge while fulfilling their other responsibilities, highlighting the need for more structured programs.
“Employers must go beyond an annual cybersecurity awareness program to prepare employees to identify and respond to increasingly sophisticated cyber threats – both in their personal lives and at work, as remote work and shared devices blur the lines and create more opportunities for hackers and scammers,” says Zulfiqar Ramzan, chief scientist at Aura.