Young employees are often seen as the most tech-savvy members of the workforce. But what if they’re also the biggest cyber security risk?
New research has uncovered an unexpected twist in the tale of cyber security risks – your tech-savvy younger employees may be your biggest vulnerability.
The Security research: Let’s take a closer look.
The study, which surveyed more than 6,500 employees across the globe, found that younger office workers, those 40 or under, are more likely to disregard standard password safety guidelines. For example, 34% admitted to using their birth dates as passwords, compared to just 19% of those over 40.
And it doesn’t stop there.
- 38% of younger workers admitted to using the same password across multiple devices.
- 23% didn’t report the last phishing attempt they received.
While ransomware and phishing were acknowledged as critical threats by 23% and 22% of employees respectively, the overall attitude towards cyber security leaves much to be desired.
A staggering number of those surveyed revealed that their organizations did NOT provide any mandatory cyber security training. From the US (30%) to the UK (17%), Netherlands (32%), Japan (35%), India (31%), Germany (22%), France (43%), Australia (29%) and China (65%) – the numbers speak for themselves.
The question: Whose fault is this?
Are we really to blame our young workforce when it’s clear that businesses aren’t doing enough to equip their employees with the necessary cyber security skills?
It’s high time we stopped treating cyber security as an afterthought and started investing in regular cyber awareness training for everyone in our businesses. Yes, EVERYONE. Not just the tech team or the executives, but every single employee. At the end of the day, it’s not just about protecting your business; it’s about creating a safer digital world for us all.
Reach out to us today to learn more about how we can help you protect your business from cyber security threats.
