Cybersecurity fatigue is real. If you’ve ever thought in exasperation, “Not another 2FA code!”, join the club. However, cybersecurity fatigue brings risk. When we stop caring, cybercriminals start winning.
Here are steps you can take to avoid cybersecurity fatigue and do it on your own terms.
What is cybersecurity fatigue?
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) defines security fatigue as “a weariness or reluctance to deal with computer security.”
Way back in 2016, a NIST study found that a majority of the typical computer users they interviewed experienced security fatigue. As one of the study’s research subjects said about computer security, “I don’t pay any attention to those things anymore…People get weary from being bombarded by ‘watch out for this or watch out for that.’”
Not surprisingly, this attitude leads users to risky computing behavior both at work and at home.
If security fatigue was already measurable in 2016, with the sophisticated threats we face now it stands to reason that the feelings of fatigue are exponentially greater today.
Of course, we’d all like to think we’re smarter today and less likely to be tricked. So maybe we don’t need to pay so much attention? A careless attitude is exactly what cybercriminals are counting on.
The same mindset that makes us fatigued is also our best defense against cyber threats. The greatest risks come when we think we know it all or we just don’t care.
What’s an Emotional Firewall?
You’ve probably heard of a human firewall, but what about an emotional firewall? While the two are similar, the emotional firewall helps give you the frame of mind to take smart actions and avoid cybersecurity fatigue on your own terms.
Emotional firewalls are the psychological and cultural reflexes that help people pause before reacting, question before complying, and think clearly under stress. These aren’t buzzwords—they’re real capabilities built through deliberate practice and training.
An emotional firewall is a set of mental and cultural defenses that protect us from manipulation and harm in cybersecurity, similar to how a technical firewall protects a network. It involves understanding our personal responsibility for cybersecurity, willingly participating in training, and encouraging a positive cybersecurity culture throughout the organization.
The goal is for everyone to recognize and resist social engineering tactics, speak up about risks, and make sound decisions under pressure, thereby strengthening the organization’s human firewall against attacks.
How to Build an Emotional Firewall
The first step is to recognize and acknowledge that every one of us behind a keyboard has responsibility for our own cybersecurity. Remember, it IS a skill to develop and continually hone – not generally something that comes naturally. And in the new era of sophisticated AI cyber risks, refining your emotional firewall is even more important.
Here are three steps to developing an Emotional Firewall:
- Accept Personal Responsibility:
Care about your responsibility to help protect your organization. Avoid multitasking, since being distracted makes you particularly vulnerable to phishing attacks. Take a moment to pay attention to incoming information and avoid acting impulsively. - Willingly Participate in Training:
The risk landscape changes daily, and cybersecurity training keeps you sharp. Even short video trainings once a month are valuable reminders, so don’t skip training! - Encourage a Positive Cybersecurity Awareness Culture:
A positive culture drives the values that determine the importance of cybersecurity awareness in your organization, and everyone has a role in its success. Importantly, this includes creating an environment for learning, not blaming, so everyone is comfortable reporting security concerns and asking questions.
Avoid Cybersecurity Fatigue
Technology can’t stop everything, so people will continue to be the backbone of any cybersecurity infrastructure. Use patience, common sense, and your cybersecurity training to maintain your own emotional firewall. Follow policies, and quickly report if you click on, reply to, or otherwise interact with a potential scam, even if you’re not sure. Your diligence will help keep you and your organization safer.
Security fatigue causes risks, and hackers are counting on us to be careless. As the saying goes, “Hackers only need to get it right once. We need to get it right every time.” Develop and use your emotional firewall every day, reduce cybersecurity fatigue, and play an active role in keeping your organization safer from cyberattacks.
If you’d like to know more about how CRU Solutions can help keep your business safer, contact us.