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How to Create a Culture of Security at Work

When news of a data breach breaks, people often ask how it happened and who was impacted. The cause could be any number of things, from a lapse in a network firewall to stolen credentials. Unfortunately, no technology can prevent all data breaches. There may always be someone in the organization vulnerable to social engineering tactics. Building a strong culture of security plays a crucial role in reducing an organization’s vulnerabilities. With effective leadership, companies can help everyone understand how to leverage their roles to address common cybersecurity challenges.

What Is a Culture of Security?

A security culture encompasses the customs, ideas, and behaviors that shape how workers approach security, fundamental to protecting data and ensuring customer privacy.

The statistics tell the story. Verizon’s 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report shows that non-malicious human actions caused 68% of data breaches. For example, an employee might receive an email posing as a director requesting critical financial information. It only takes one mistake to release malware or allow unauthorized access to protected company systems.

Imagine how much of that risk could be mitigated if companies established a more robust security culture. Too often, businesses rely heavily on automated software without addressing the human element of data security.

What Are the Biggest Issues Companies Must Overcome?

Why is it so challenging for companies to build the kind of security culture that forms the foundation of a strong security posture? Let’s examine some common issues:

1. Team Silos

Team silos form for various reasons, including the hierarchical structure of most companies. Employees in marketing, IT, sales, or HR often interact primarily within their own departments, leading to limited opportunities for cross-departmental collaboration. The expansion of remote work has also contributed to physical and communication distance, reinforcing these silos.

2. Command Structure

Traditional command structures centralize decision-making, which can stifle lower-level employees in resolving security issues. If employees feel their contributions are undervalued, they may simply follow orders without questioning them, leading to a lack of innovation and preparedness in mitigating security threats.

3. Blame Culture

When something goes wrong, the instinct is often to find out who’s at fault. If employees fear punishment for mistakes, they may fail to report incidents, allowing vulnerabilities to go unnoticed. A blame culture discourages open communication, leading to a lack of transparency and increased risk.

Additionally, a blame culture can create a fear of trying new approaches. Employees may avoid proposing innovative solutions or taking proactive measures out of concern for being blamed if things go wrong.

4. Lack of Security Training

Employees lacking security training may not recognize threats, making them vulnerable to malware, phishing, and social engineering attacks. Inconsistent or insufficient training can lead to fragmented implementation of security measures, undermining the organization’s overall security posture.

5. Not Enough Transparency

Sometimes, companies fail to share relevant information regarding security practices and incidents. Employees who feel management is not forthcoming may become suspicious of both leadership and their coworkers, leading to an atmosphere of distrust. This can result in reluctance to follow established security policies.

Lack of transparency can delay mitigation actions when employees don’t receive timely information about security incidents. Coordination across departments is critical for effective incident response, and failing to keep everyone informed can harm those efforts.

Best Practices for Building a Security Culture

Leadership must model desired behavior and enforce rules equally to eliminate perceptions of unfairness. Those responsible for financial decisions must ensure that the necessary resources, including technology and personnel, are allocated to maintain a safe and secure work environment.

Businesses should tailor training programs to individual roles and responsibilities. The curriculum should cover everything from handling sensitive information to recognizing phishing attacks. Even the most security-conscious employees can benefit from periodic refresher courses.

Companies should establish clear communication channels for reporting security incidents, with guidelines on how to use these outlets without fear of reprisal. Additionally, regular updates should be provided on changes to the organization’s security status, including:

  • Recent security incidents
  • Mitigation measures taken
  • Changes to security policies and procedures

When an incident occurs, the focus should be on finding solutions rather than assigning blame. Addressing root causes encourages openness among employees, allowing everyone to learn from the experience and contribute to strengthening security. Reward employees who report security incidents and help to address vulnerabilities in the organization’s security posture.

Make Your Security Culture Stronger With PreEmptive

Creating a robust security culture is not the responsibility of one department alone—it requires the commitment of the entire organization. Development teams play a critical role in preventing hackers from using their products as gateways for attacks.

One effective approach is to leverage tools designed to harden software and mobile applications against threats. PreEmptive’s solutions offer features like code obfuscation, encryption, and runtime checks, which protect applications from reverse engineering and tampering. By integrating these tools into the development process, software engineers can enhance security and comply with industry standards.

Contact us today to learn how we can help safeguard your applications and promote a culture of security at work.