IBM Security’s Cost of a Data Breach 2022 reported that 80% of organizations have suffered multiple data breaches. Your company’s cybersecurity efforts are critical as just one cyberattack can cause significant damages, such as reputational harm, financial losses, lawsuits and regulatory actions. Discover why human resources is one of the most vulnerable cyber areas of your business and how to protect its valuable information from cyber criminals.

Why Cyberattacks Continue to Increase

Organizations typically fall victim to hackers from a lack of preparation. While preventive opportunities are readily available, there are still businesses that neglect any effective cyber prevention strategies to stop criminal access to data.

Factors that make businesses vulnerable include:

• Negligent or intentional employee-introduced access
• Absence of cyberattack prevention education for employees
• Disregard for up-to-date software maintenance
• Neglect to implement and update cybersecurity policies
• Reliance on cloud-based technology without proper protections in place
• Unsecured networks
• Maindate strong network passwords
• Stay current with cyber protection
• Implement and track in HRIS any role-based access to sensitive information
• Regularly provide job-specific cybersecurity training
• Maintain software updates
• Remove any legacy system
• Provide strong cybersecurity protection for cloud-based applications
• Implement multifactor authentication (MFA) for network access
• Employ a third-party cybersecurity company to audit your protection capabilities
• Utilize a background check process for remote interviews and hiring
• Remove departing employee’s access to all systems, software, applications and files

Top Human Resources (HR) Vulnerabilities

Online applications and programs allow HR professionals to easily integrate and communicate with employees. Unfortunately, these innovations also make HR departments more vulnerable to cyberattacks. Sensitive personal employee information and organization data storage makes HR a favorite target for cyberattackers. Hackers highly pursue personally identifiable information (PII) such as birth dates, social security numbers and banking information.

Emails & Attachments

Email is the dominant communication resource for HR. It allows employees and job applicants the opportunity to reach the department quickly. Unfortunately, your HR staff cannot easily ignore emails that include links or attachments. External communications can gain access to your system through tactics such as phishing, smishing and ransomware. Internal threats may originate within your company from disgruntled employees or human error from a lack of defense training.

External Partners

In 2021, the SolarWinds’ breach gave organizations a powerful lesson that external partners’ cybersecurity practices cannot be disregarded. The technology company was attacked through a vulnerability from a supplier. As a result, many organizations now require cybersecurity protection proof from any third party with access to sensitive information. This applies to any HR management system or payroll processing program that your company utilizes.

Remote & Hybrid Working Arrangements

A CNBC article claims a projected 36 million Americans will be working remotely by 2025. This means that security issues from employee access to employer systems are not slowing down anytime soon. Remote workers rely on network access to payroll systems and HR management programs to connect with your HR department. While this is the most efficient way for HR to take care of employee services, it also leaves the company open to hackers.

How Cyberattackers Target Your HR Department

Common ways cyber criminals hack your human resources:

Phishing & Smishing:

Phishing emails and smishing texts fraudulently transmit messages that claim to be from a reputable source and induce HR employees to reveal personal information. A persuasive email or text message with a malicious link can bring down an entire organization.

Recruitment Scams

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warns businesses of a high frequency of claims that involve fraudulent candidates who apply for remote-work positions and utilize technology to hide their identity. The criminals look to secure the position, gain access to your company logins and steal sensitive customer and client information. Another recruitment tatic involves a criminal posing as a job seeker who sends a malicious attachement disguised as a resume.

Payroll Fraud Schemes

Tips to Protect HR from Cyberattacks

Cybersecurity prevention practices and network protection is preferential to a data breach and recovery for your operations. Use these options to secure your network:

• Mandate strong  network passwords
• Stay current with  cyber protection
• Implement and track in HRIS any role-based access to sensitive information
• Regularly provide  job-specific cybersecurity training
• Maintain software updates
• Remove any legacy  system
• Provide strong  cybersecurity protection for cloud-based applications
• Implement multifactor authentication (MFA) for network access
• Employ a  third-party cybersecurity company to audit your protection capabilities
• Utilize a background check process for remote interviews and hiring
• Remove departing employee’s access to all systems, software, applications and files

We’re Here to Help with Cybersecurity

While the internet of things (IoT) has significantly impacted the connection between HR departments and employees, it’s also created new risks to secure HR data. A hardened cyber liability insurance market means underwriters will be looking for your organization’s efforts to protect against cyberattacks. If you have questions about how to create a cyber risk mitigation strategy or coverage, connect with a  member of our team.