Rethinking the Human Factor by Bruce Hallas. A high-volume narrative around cyber security has been a constant of the last few years. From headline stories of huge data breach, ‘experts’ offering solutions to fix the problem, reminders to change the many passwords we all have, to the offer of training packages for staff - we seem to be surrounded. This does, to a large degree, reflect the reality of the data-driven economy in which we now live. Data is a non-tangible asset of extraordinary and increasing value and needs protecting as such. But the narrative I refer to often encourages a sense of alienation, or resignation in those of us that are not technical experts. Bruce Hallas is is an advocate, consultant, author and speaker in the field of information security awareness, behaviour and culture. In one of those rare and slightly unnerving coincidences, I had only just finished reading his (self-published) book when he appeared as a key-note speaker at a conference in Guernsey I attended last month. If there is one thing that Bruce does, in print as well as in person, it is to energetically and accessibly dissuade us of the fear (or comfort, depending on your perspective) of assuming data security is an exclusively technical problem, with only technical solutions. He also highlights how much money and time is wasted on education and training programmes that fail to positively influence behaviour. That in turn points to organisational and cultural changes that are essential to getting data security right. He puts the human being at the heart of the conversation – identifying this as one of the most important elements of both success and failure. Good technology experts will not be out of a job anytime soon, we need them more than ever. But we also need to widen the conversation out to draw on the experience and insights of others if we want real change in this important area. Hallas’ bale-cry for a more multi-disciplined and diverse approach to data security which will equip us better for this modern age feels timely. A short and accessible read, the book does to some degree state the obvious. Sometimes, though, we need reminding of what the obvious is.
&
Indulge