Companies must invest in educating, training, and raising awareness among their employees about cyber threats, as this can significantly reduce the number of cyberattacks, according to industry leaders who spoke on Wednesday.

“Firms need to educate their people about cyberattacks. If all people are aware of cyber threats, then half of cyberattacks can be eliminated automatically. Even if an attack still occurs, large firms should have a rapid response team in place, which will undoubtedly help. Additionally, a zero trust policy should be implemented within organizations,” said Padam Kafle, Head of Innovation at Aster Digital Health.

Kafle made these remarks during a panel discussion at the FutureSec Summit 2024, organized by Khaleej Times on Wednesday. The summit, which attracted dozens of public and private sector executives, focused on the importance of preparedness in the face of cyber threats. Kafle emphasized that the speed at which firms can detect and recover from a cyberattack is a key indicator of their readiness.

Jayakumar Mohanachandran, Group Chief Information Officer at Buzeki Enterprises, highlighted that human error is often the weakest link in an organization, but it can be transformed into the strongest by increasing awareness and training. “Many organizations overlook the importance of this, especially in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). AI can be used to conduct extensive simulations and training. If cybersecurity is integrated into every aspect of the business, firms will rarely miss out on training and awareness programs. This should be comprehensive and include all employees, not just junior staff who might fall for phishing emails, but also senior-level personnel,” he explained.

Mohanachandran also pointed out that some firms conceal cyberattacks due to fears of damaging their brand reputation. However, he underscored the importance of collaboration and awareness among industry players.

Muhammed Mobin, SVP of Cybersecurity at Novigo Solutions, emphasized that a Chief Information Security Officer’s (CISO) primary focus should be on risk management, identifying and mitigating cyber threats, along with robust data protection to ensure confidentiality and regulatory compliance. “An effective incident response and recovery plan is also crucial, enabling swift detection and containment of security issues. Promoting a culture of security awareness through regular training minimizes human error, and aligning security with business goals ensures that protection and operational efficiency go hand in hand,” Mobin concluded.

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