CybersecurityHow to break our bad online security habits – with a flashing cyber nudge

By Emily Collins and Joanne Hinds

The number of cyberattacks is estimated to have risen by 67 percent over the last five years, with the majority of these data breaches being traced back to human error.

The potential risks of such attacks are vast and can have a serious impact on both organizations and individuals. But protecting ourselves against cyber security threats can be extremely complicated.

Not only is the technology we use on a daily basis getting more complex, but attackers are constantly finding new ways to bypass security measures.

Yet staying up to date with safety measures and new devices is not always practical. Many people are exhausted and turned off by seemingly endless reports of data breaches in the news – an effect referred to as “privacy fatigue.”

They can become weary of installing software updates, updating privacy settings or changing passwords – or simply fear that such precautions are pointless.

Efforts to combat this within organizations often involves providing members of employees with relevant training sessions. But such training can quickly become obsolete, or simply forgotten.

Workers also tend to be busy. When people are trying to complete other tasks, they might not remember to stay secure, particularly when doing so makes their job more difficult or time consuming.

Research has shown that when computers were fitted with proximity sensors (which automatically log users out when they move away from the machine) users began placing cups over the sensors to disable them.

The intention had been to improve security, but in practice created what felt like a disproportionate burden for the user – in this case, having to repeatedly log back in, even after only briefly moving away from their work station.