The Human Element in Cybersecurity: Understanding and Mitigating Risks

EasyChair Preprint 11642

Abstract

In today's interconnected digital landscape, cybersecurity has become a paramount concern for individuals, organizations, and nations. While technological advancements fortify digital infrastructures, the human element remains a pivotal factor in safeguarding against cyber threats. This paper delves into the critical role of human behavior, cognition, and psychology in cybersecurity, highlighting both its strengths and vulnerabilities. Understanding the human element in cybersecurity involves exploring the multifaceted aspects of human behavior within digital environments. Factors such as cognitive biases, social engineering techniques, and individual decision-making processes significantly impact the security posture of any system. This paper scrutinizes these elements to elucidate how they can be exploited by threat actors and emphasizes the need for comprehensive strategies to address these vulnerabilities. Moreover, this study investigates effective measures to mitigate human-related risks in cybersecurity. Education and training programs play a crucial role in enhancing cyber hygiene and fostering a security-oriented mindset among individuals. Behavioral analytics, user-centric design principles, and the integration of human factors into security protocols emerge as instrumental strategies in fortifying defenses against cyber threats stemming from human error or manipulation. By recognizing the intricate interplay between human behavior and cybersecurity, stakeholders can implement more robust and adaptive security measures to protect digital assets, systems, and sensitive information in an increasingly complex threat landscape.

Keyphrases: Cybersecurity, Human Factors, Risk Mitigation

@booklet{EasyChair:11642,
  author    = {Lee Kasowaki and Serkan Eden},
  title     = {The Human Element in Cybersecurity: Understanding and Mitigating Risks},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 11642},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2023}}