The people problem: how cyber security's weakest link can become a formidable asset

Abstract

The European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) finally began to bare its teeth last summer, with British Airways and the Marriott hotel chain both being hit with massive fines of £183m and £99.2m respectively for breaching the rules. 1, 2 Organisations saw that the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) meant business when it came to applying its new powers, and this appears to have helped trigger a new wave of investment in cyber security. While the prospect of major fines has woken boardrooms up to the importance of cyber risk management, it has not necessarily led to money being spent in the right areas. The insider threat has increased as working practices have evolved and new technologies have been adopted. Collaboration platforms, cloud services, smart devices and mobile apps all represent varying forms of cyber risk. To tackle this effectively requires a mix of technical and process-driven measures, says Jon Fielding of Apricorn.