The concept of Human Risk Management (HRM) is increasingly gaining traction in the cybersecurity world, with projections suggesting that by 2030, 80% of enterprises will have formally defined and staffed HRM programs, a significant leap from 20% in 2022.

This shift in focus represents a transformation in how businesses approach cybersecurity, moving from viewing employees as potential weak links to empowering them as allies in detecting and countering threats.

HRM in cybersecurity involves the identification, assessment, and mitigation of risks that arise from human behavior in relation to technology usage. Traditional approaches have often limited their scope to compliance and basic behavioral improvements. However, more than 95% of breaches involve some form of human error, action, or inaction, highlighting the need for a more nuanced and effective approach.

The new paradigm in HRM is about changing the narrative around employees from being the biggest security threat to being an organization’s most substantial asset in cybersecurity. This approach involves engaging employees through educational and rewarding security awareness training, leading to a significant cultural shift within the organization.

One of the primary reasons to adopt HRM is its ability to create long-term behavioral changes and turn employees into human allies in mitigating risks. By integrating existing tools and platforms, HRM fosters a more cohesive approach to cybersecurity. Additionally, it leverages automation to save time and improve efficiency, especially when security teams are dealing with the challenges of remote work.

Furthermore, HRM provides valuable data, enabling security teams to demonstrate the return on investment (ROI) of their efforts and gain executive buy-in for future improvements.

Key elements of a comprehensive HRM approach include:

• Human Risk Index (HRI) Scoring: Assigning risk scores to employees based on individual risk factors, allowing for targeted interventions, and continued monitoring for progress.
• Targeted Employee Training: Providing personalized training recommendations to address specific areas of vulnerabilities, ensuring more effective use of time and resources.
• Easily Report Business Results: Centralizing data on risky behaviors and the impact of interventions, simplifying the reporting process and demonstrating the ROI to senior management.

CyberEd.io’s Insights platform exemplifies this approach, offering a comprehensive solution for assessing and managing employee-related risks. The platform integrates data from various security technologies, providing a unified view of employee risk and enabling informed decision-making.

By focusing on measurable behavior change rather than mere compliance, HRM is set to revolutionize cybersecurity practices, making it an essential consideration for every organization.