NCC Group forges partnership with CybSafe to boost awareness of human cyber risk

NCC Group has partnered with cyber security and data analytics company, CybSafe, to drive awareness of human cyber risk within organisations. 

The partnership will see NCC Group combining its technical expertise with CybSafe’s deep understanding of the human aspect of cyber security with the aim of helping customers to improve security habits and help decrease the number of people-related security incidents.

The collaboration will also involve experts from the Group and CybSafe working together on research topics which will help to advance understanding in this area. This includes a series of whitepapers which explore the human factors that affect the outcome of security incidents, including personality traits and individual digital footprints, in the context of understanding how these factors might play a part in a person’s susceptibility to becoming a victim of cyber crime.

The first paper, authored by CybSafe, which is now available to download, draws on various research, including the Big Five personality model, to help distinguish the personality traits that could be used to tailor security training and awareness programmes. These traits include openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism.

The second paper, authored by NCC Group commercial research director Matt Lewis, and senior advisor, Paul Vlissidis, will provide a top-level exploration of digital footprints – a presence of online data relating to ourselves that accumulates over time – and the potential relationships between personality traits and levels of digital footprint.

Commenting on the collaboration, Ian Thomas, Managing Director, Assurance UK & ROW at NCC Group, said: “People are at the heart of cyber security, which is why it’s incredibly important for organisations to understand how they can tailor awareness and education for their employees. We are very excited to be working with a company that takes such an innovative approach towards human cyber risk and look forward to seeing what we can achieve collaboratively in the coming months and years.”

Oz Alashe, CEO and Founder at CybSafe added: “When it comes to managing human cyber risk most security professionals agree that it’s important to move beyond tick-box security awareness training and ineffective security videos. “That’s why CybSafe is really pleased to partner with NCC Group to help their client’s security teams reduce avoidable incidents by measuring and improving people’s security behaviours. We’re also delighted about the opportunity to work alongside a security organisation that shares our passion for research and evidence in this space.”

Read the first paper below and check back in a few weeks to read our exploration of digital footprints.