The illusion of the suspicious link: Examining the psychology of cyber security Communications

Businesses wisely invest in security awareness messaging about how to recognise and respond to cyber threats. We work hard running campaigns to raise awareness of external threats like phishing, or to build secure behaviours around creating strong passwords, to help reduce the risk of a cyber incident.

It would be unusual to come across someone in your company who doesn’t know what a phishing email is, and anytime we open an online account, the sign-up process tells us how to create a strong password. Yet we continue to see cyber incidents that are traced back to phishing and passwords.

What if part of the reason wasn’t the capabilities of our people, but the way we structure the messages we’re using to promote safe online behaviours?

This session will examine the potential unintended psychological consequences in our cyber communications, that may actually lead to an increased risk. It will identify practical, psychology-informed strategies to help build a stronger, more adaptable security culture.