2023-11-01 12:00:00

Can you nudge employees towards better cybersecurity? New research says yes.

Logo PR Newswire
PR Newswire

Nudge Security releases new research conducted in consultation with leading psychologists at Duke University linking employee security behavior with attitudes and emotions.

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- What cybersecurity practitioners have long suspected is true: 67% of employees would try to circumvent security controls that block access to unsanctioned SaaS applications at work. However, the reason why might come as a surprise. According to new research from Nudge Security, undesirable security behaviors may have less to do with lack of awareness and more to do with basic human emotions.

AD
AD

New research from Nudge Security links security behavior to human emotion, finding that security nudges provide a more positive experience and drive higher compliance rates than security blockades. Nudge Security is transforming the human element of cybersecurity for modern work.

Key finding: 67% of employees would try to work around security controls that block access to unsanctioned SaaS apps.

Released today, "Debunking the 'stupid user' myth in security," is a new report from Nudge Security that explores how workers' attitudes and emotions influence security behaviors. Based on research conducted in consultation with leading psychologists at Duke University, it confirms that workers are more likely to comply with security controls if they find the experience to be positive and reasonable.

"We now have evidence to suggest that improving the employee experience of security can actually lead to better security outcomes," said Russell Spitler, CEO and co-founder of Nudge Security.

The research took 900 participants through a common scenario: needing to access a SaaS application for work. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three "security interventions" that either blocked access to the application, revoked access punitively, or nudged participants to justify access. Participants were asked to rate how reasonable they found the intervention, how positively or negatively they felt about it, and how likely they were to comply with it. Overall, participants' attitudes and emotions strongly correlated with their likelihood of compliance.

Key Findings

  • 67% of participants said they would not comply with the blocking intervention. Instead, they would look for a workaround.
  • Participants perceived nudging as the most positive and reasonable intervention. They were 3X more likely to feel negatively about blocking and punitive interventions.
  • 78% of participants would comply with a nudge, 2X the compliance rate of the blocking intervention.

Dr. Aaron Kay, PhD, J Rex Fuqua Professor of Management and Professor of Psychology & Neuroscience at Duke University and Nudge Security advisor, consulted on the development of the research.

"This research underscores basic tenets of human psychology and demonstrates that, even in cybersecurity, attitudes and emotions are strong predictors of behavior," said Kay. "Security leaders are setting themselves up for failure when they implement security controls with the assumption that employees will comply mechanically, regardless of their own self interests."

AD
AD

Kay and Spitler will discuss the research during an upcoming webcast. Register here. Download the full report at www.nudgesecurity.com.

About Nudge Security

Nudge Security is transforming the human element of cybersecurity by nudging employees towards secure SaaS adoption. Founded in 2021 by Jaime Blasco and Russell Spitler, the company secured funding from Ballistic Ventures in 2022. A fully remote company, Nudge Security has outposts in Austin, Texas and Jackson, Wyoming. Learn more at www.nudgesecurity.com and follow on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/can-you-nudge-employees-towards-better-cybersecurity-new-research-says-yes-301663721.html

SOURCE Nudge Security

AD
Logo PR Newswire
TechnologyPress Release2023-10-13 11:20:00
Cybersecurity startup launches first-ever solution to address SaaS sprawl risks by nudging employees towards optimal security behavior. AUSTIN, Texas, Oct....

Logo Benzinga
Business / FinanceBy Business Wire2023-10-14 10:50:00
AwareGO's Cybersecurity experts, using the proprietary Human Risk Assessment software, will help organizations identify critical cybersecurity risks among...

Logo EIN Presswire
CISAs See yourself in Cyber theme to be explored through month-long interactive content prioritizing information security and privacy NEW YORK, NY, UNITED...

Logo PR Newswire
TechnologyPress Release2023-10-18 13:00:00
Roughly half of Gen Z (48%) and about one-third of millennial employees (39%) admit to taking cybersecurity protection on their personal devices more...

Logo PR Newswire
TechnologyPress Release2023-10-19 17:26:00
THE HAGUE, The Netherlands, Oct. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Increasingly, criminal hackers are not just trying to get into someone's computer, but also into...

Logo PR Newswire
TechnologyPress Release2023-10-06 16:00:00
Company Honored With ' Overall Risk Management Solution of the Year ' AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Living Security, the leader in Human Risk...

Logo GlobeNewswire
TechnologyPress Release2023-10-25 14:30:00
New Genetec research shows cybersecurity remains a top concern for physical security professionals worldwide The Genetec Security Score widget is a dynamic...

Logo PR Newswire
TechnologyPress Release2023-10-25 13:05:00
New research shows that when it comes to cyber risks in the workplace, over a third (34%) of Canadian employees express little-to-no concern about theft of...

Logo PR Newswire
TechnologyPress Release2023-10-25 13:10:00
New research shows that when it comes to cyber risks in the workplace, over a third (35%) of U.S. employees express little-to-no concern about theft of...

Logo Benzinga
Business / FinanceBy Pr Newswire2023-10-25 13:10:00
New research shows that when it comes to cyber risks in the workplace, over a third (35%) of U.S. employees express little-to-no concern about theft of...

Logo PR Newswire
TechnologyPress Release2023-10-04 12:00:00
Foundry report shows security threats and integrating new technology are top challenges in maintaining cybersecurity posture; Managed XDR could be missing...

Logo PR Newswire
TechnologyPress Release2023-10-19 12:00:00
Innovative solution combines personal accountability and security awareness to help organizations improve security posture MORRISVILLE, N.C., Oct. 19, 2022...

Logo Benzinga
Business / FinanceBy Pr Newswire2023-10-25 13:05:00
New research shows that when it comes to cyber risks in the workplace, over a third (34%) of Canadian employees express little-to-no concern about theft of...

Logo EIN Presswire
CybeReady Consulting Service Provider Establishes Cybersecurity Training Program and Solutions with CybeReady as the Foundational SaaS-Based Platform SANTA...

Logo PR Newswire
Workers across multiple demographics state that a lack of hard and soft skills are holding them back from career advancement ROCHESTER, N.Y., Oct. 19, 2022...

Logo PR Newswire
TechnologyPress Release2023-10-04 08:00:00
Industry and university collaboration project sees students combine cybersecurity, communications, and creativity to deliver new security awareness content...

Logo Benzinga
Business / FinanceBy Pr Newswire2023-10-24 16:42:00
The leader in Human Risk Management brings home its second consecutive win in the under $10M category AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Living...

Logo PR Newswire
TechnologyPress Release2023-10-24 12:40:00
Latest Hornetsecurity advancement in cybersecurity provides businesses with automated awareness training Best-in-class awareness training comes after a...

Logo Benzinga
Business / FinanceBy Business Wire2023-11-01 09:58:00
Cybersecurity concerns and education have not mitigated the overuse of the same passwords in 2022 LastPass today released findings from its fifth annual...

Logo EIN Presswire
CybeReady Managers Program Tool Delivers On-Demand Reports with Benchmark Data Between Departments, Monthly Snapshots of Department Performance and More...