Masha Sedova
Despite advancements in security technology, human error and negligence continue to be significant contributors to cyber incidents, accounting for over 82% of recent events. Regrettably, traditional approaches like training have had limited success in driving substantial change. However, security teams need not start from scratch when seeking to improve employee behavior.
Behavioral science has provided valuable insights on shaping more thoughtful decisions using a technique called nudging. Nudging has been successfully applied to address challenges in health, finance, organ donation, and more. By employing nudge techniques, security teams can motivate employees to cultivate better security habits, ultimately reducing the risk of human-related cyber threats.
What is a Nudge?
A nudge is a subtle intervention or environmental change, rooted in behavioral economics and psychology, designed to influence people's behavior or decision-making. Nudges encourage individuals to make better choices for themselves and society by gently guiding their decision-making process while preserving their freedom of choice.
An example of a nudge technique is placing healthier food options at eye level in a cafeteria or grocery store. This small change in the environment makes it more likely that people will choose the healthier option without restricting their freedom to select other items. By making healthier choices more accessible and prominent, this nudge technique can promote better eating habits and improve public health.
Security Nudges with Elevate Security
In the context of security, nudges help employees make better security-related decisions. Elevate Security leverages these nudge techniques to help employees develop better security habits and reduce human-related cyber risks.
The platform offers timely, context-aware nudges through email, browser, and endpoint integrations. By guiding users towards better security practices during risky decisions, such as visiting harmful websites, encountering phishing attempts, experiencing frequent attacks, or running outdated software, Elevate Security helps organizations reduce human-related cyber risks.
Creating a Positive Security Culture
In addition to leveraging nudges for risky behaviors, security teams must foster a resilient security culture by reinforcing positive behaviors. Elevate Security's platform supports this by celebrating security champions, acknowledging high-performing teams, and recognizing improvements over time.
Layering Nudge Techniques
Elevate Security's platform leverages four key nudge principles to drive better security decisions amongst the workforce:
Personalized Security Scores: Unique security scores help employees gauge their performance and identify areas for improvement.
Feedback and Recommendations: Regular feedback and actionable steps encourage employees to refine their security habits continuously.
Benchmarking: Comparing security scores against peers fosters competition and promotes better security practices through social norms.
Gamification: Incorporating rewards, recognition, and competitions makes security training engaging and motivating.
Final Thoughts
Elevate Security's innovative, context-aware nudging approach helps organizations strengthen their security culture and reduce human-related cyber risks. With personalized security scores, benchmarking, feedback and recommendations, and gamification, Elevate Security enables employees to develop better security habits, creating a more secure work environment.
Discover the ability to gain visibility and control of your people-centric cyber risk—book your demo of Elevate Security.
