Trade Show Snapshot Te initiative was a reminder of the collective impact the


cybersecurity sector can have on social causes. By collaborating with schools, charities, and social services, Every Child Online delivers essential resources to underprivileged kids, equipping them with the skills crucial for success in the modern world.


Analysis KnowBe4 conducted a survey at Infosecurity Europe 2024, quizzing 201 cybersecurity professionals to better understand and gauge the sentiment around trending cybersecurity issues. Amongst the key findings from the survey, the top frustration


felt by security professionals was that their advice was being ignored (29%) while 15% stated a lack of skilled workers to employ was their biggest gripe. A further 13% highlighted working in an inadequate security culture or environment was their biggest gripe, with the same percentage (13%) of security professionals claiming they had too many tools to manage at their organisations. “Whilst the frustrations here are all entirely valid, this


highlights the importance of fostering a robust security culture within organisations, where cybersecurity is viewed as a shared responsibility rather than the sole responsibility of the IT department,” said Javvad Malik, lead security awareness advocate at KnowBe4. “Organisations must shiſt away from the antiquated once-a-year training model, where they inundate employees with an overwhelming amount of information over an hour or more in a bid to complete the training.” Adopting newer, more user-friendly approaches should be


leveraged by organisations which can prove to be incredibly powerful in promoting security awareness and fostering a culture of cybersecurity vigilance. From here, more champions of cybersecurity can be found within the company who spread awareness of cybersecurity best practices, helping to lessen the burden on the security department. Remarkably, when questioned about the potential reintroduction


of National Service in the UK, only a third (33%) of security professionals supported this. However, this figure jumps to nearly half (48%) who expressed support for the idea of National Service if it incorporated cybersecurity education, leaving the remaining proportion either unsure or opposed to the proposition. “Tis division in perspectives highlights the complexity of the


issue but provides evidence that there is a growing recognition of the urgent need to expand cybersecurity education, particularly to the younger generation, and equip individuals with the necessary skills to navigate this increasingly digital world safely,” said Malik. “Yet, the equal number of those who are unsure or opposed underscores the contentious nature of using National Service for this purpose which can arise from hesitation about the effectiveness of the programme or the practical challenges of implementing them.” Te findings of the survey also showed three-quarters (75%) of


security professionals have witnessed employees displaying risky security behaviours at work and almost two-thirds (62%) admit to performing risky behaviours themselves. Te top risky behaviours security professionals admitted to


doing include: • Using entertainment or streaming services themselves (33%) • Using GenAI within the organisation (31%)


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“AI was the obvious candidate to top the concerns at Infosec this year”


• Sharing personal information (14%) • Using gaming or gambling websites at work (10%) • Using adult entertainment websites (2%).


“Te multifaceted nature of cybersecurity challenges faced by organisations is clear when looking at the survey results,” said Javvad Malik, lead security awareness advocate at KnowBe4. “While technological advancements like AI and deepfakes present new risks, the human factor remains a critical piece of the cybersecurity puzzle and tackling these risky behaviours is imperative in today’s workplaces.” Equally concerning, the most common risky behaviour security


professionals observed others in the workplace participating in was using entertainment or streaming services with over half (51%) stating that had seen this habit take place. Streaming using WiFi at work doesn’t only have the potential to lead to a big increase in bandwidth consumption but can also be in violation of internal policies, licensing laws and cause an array of other legal issues. Te most concerning of all is that the streaming or entertainment sites might not be safe and the organisation runs the risk of having malware installed on its employees’ equipment which could infect the entire network. In addition to this, they also noted colleagues doing the


following: • Sharing personal information (44%) • Using GenAI within the organisation (38%) • Using unauthorised removable media like USB sticks (37%) • Opening malicious email attachments (36%) • Using gaming of gambling websites at work (35%).


Adopting both technological advances as well as building a culture of cyber security knowledge with employees should be a priority for organisations to reduce the amount of risky security behaviours conducted in the workplace. Organisations also need to adopt certain modern technologies and strategies to stay ahead of threats as this will massively lower the likelihood of hacks and leaks. “Organisations must stay attuned to the latest cybersecurity


trends and innovations, investing in cutting-edge technologies and strategies to stay ahead of evolving threats,” said Malik. “However, the results of this survey show risky behaviours in the workplace continues to be a serious issue which is evidence of a lack of security culture. Cultivating a strong security culture means going beyond just educating staff on threats. Teach them how to respond and identify them as this will help with prevention. Security culture requires a shiſt in attitude, behaviour, approach, and perception of responsibility – it must be an organisation-wide priority if visible change is to be made.”


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