5 Traits of a Human Firewall: The Heart of Cybersecurity
WebCE Staff
By
October 14, 2024
Cybercriminals don’t limit themselves to high-tech attacks. Sometimes breaches begin with a 10-minute phone call to the help desk, an approach one ransomware group used to compromise MGM Resorts.
Their goal is to find an opening, and often this means trying to catch an organization or its employees off guard by using unexpected methods. While technical defenses like firewalls, encryption, and antivirus software are crucial, they alone can't protect an organization from the ever-changing tactics cybercriminals use.
That's where a human firewall comes in.
What is a Human Firewall?
A firewall traditionally refers to a system designed to block unauthorized access to or from a private network.
A human firewall is something more personal and even more crucial for cybersecurity—it's the collective behavior of employees, who act as the last line of defense against cyber threats. With hackers continuously devising new and unexpected attack methods, human firewalls are essential to keeping your organization secure.
Imagine finding a random USB drive in your office or just outside the door.
Do you pick it up?
While plugging it in might seem harmless, hackers often use this exact tactic to gain unauthorized access to systems. A strong human firewall would recognize this risk and respond appropriately.
Let’s break down the five traits that make up a strong human firewall.
1. Think Before Clicking
Imagine receiving an email that appears to be from your manager, marked as "urgent," asking for immediate action.
What do you do?
A strong human firewall thinks before clicking.
These messages are known as phishing, one of the most common tactics attackers use to infiltrate organizations.
Phishing emails try to disguise themselves as someone close to you. Whether it's through email spoofing or malicious links and attachments, these attacks often play on the recipient's emotions, such as urgency or fear. These emotional messages are meant to make you act before you pause and assess whether the email is legitimate.
Phishing attacks pose a potentially serious threat to data and systems. Remaining vigilant and reporting phishing attempts immediately is a critical part of a strong human firewall.
When evaluating an email as phishing, look for these markers:
Suspicious Sender – Phishing emails often come from addresses that look legitimate but may have slight variations meant to go unnoticed, such as John.Doe@CompanyXYZ.com vs. John.Doe@CompanyZYZ.com
Urgent or Alarming Subject Lines – Be wary of language that creates a sense of urgency (“Immediate action required”) or threatens negative consequences (“Your account will be deactivated”) that could have you reacting before thinking
Unusual Attachments or Links – Attachments like .zip, .exe, and PDF files may contain malware, and always hover over links to see where they actually lead
Spelling & Grammar Mistakes – Many phishing emails are littered with typos, awkward phrasing, and grammar mistakes
Strange Requests or Instructions – Ask yourself if this email asks you to do something unusual or outside your typical routine
Key Trait: Human firewalls never assume a message is safe just because it appears to come from a familiar sender. Always maintain a healthy skepticism, taking time to assess every email and attachment, no matter the sender and no matter how “urgent.”
2. Situational Awareness
One of the keys to a strong human firewall is understanding cybersecurity isn’t just about what happens on your computer screen—it extends into the physical world as well.
Situational awareness means being mindful of your surroundings, using common sense to recognize potential threats before they happen.
Some examples of situational awareness that can help thwart attacks include:
Tailgating – When a bad actor attempts to slip into a secured area behind you upon entering
Organized Workspace – Staying organized helps avoid misplacing important items like badges, key cards, or important documents
Secure Remote Work – When remote, make sure your screen is secure when away and no one else can view your screen while working
Key Trait: Human firewalls are always aware of their environment and maintain a vigilant awareness both online and offline.
3. Protect Access
Always safeguard access to sensitive data, systems, and physical spaces. This includes practicing password best practices, not sharing login credentials, and being cautious about what types of data can and cannot be shared publicly.
It's simple actions—like locking workstations when stepping away, using unique passwords, and shredding confidential documents—that collectively strengthen the human firewall.
Human firewalls protect access to these areas by:
Never sharing login information or access badges/keycards
Knowing what data can & cannot be shared
Always checking credentials (such as access to restricted areas to prevent tailgating)
Locking workstations when not in use
Shredding confidential documents when not in use
These practices may seem obvious. That’s likely because creating a strong human firewall is not complicated. But it is extremely important.
Key Trait: Human firewalls are diligent about protecting access by instilling these best practices to ensure their private data stays private.
4. Report Incidents Immediately
A door left open. An unlocked computer. An unknown person hanging around a secure entrance.
Each of these are potential incidents that must be reported immediately because they could be warning signs of a potential security breach.
One of the most important traits of a human firewall is immediately reporting suspicious activity or security lapses.
Why the urgency?
Just consider how much damage could be done if a single incident goes unreported for an hour, a day, or even a week. The longer an issue goes unaddressed, the greater the risk.
Key Trait: Human firewalls act quickly because they know that reporting incidents immediately can limit the impact of security problems.
5. Always Follow Policy
Think of these policies as your organization’s best practices to protect the organization, its clients, and its employees.
Following these policies is not optional because not following them can lead to serious consequences like data loss, compliance violations, or ransomware attacks.
Many companies that fall victim to a cyberattack purchase insurance afterwards. While this is key to an effective defense, it is too little too late. Cyber insurance should not be seen as a replacement for well-trained employees.
Ensuring a breach never occurs begins with taking action before an incident happens. This trained workforce is the heart of an effective cyber defense.
Key Trait: Human firewalls are committed to following all organizational policies because they are the first line of defense in preventing a cyberattack.
Building a Human Firewall Starts Now
The best defense is always preparation. Waiting until an attack has already occurred is too late.
As attacks become more sophisticated and creative, the key to strong cybersecurity lies in creating and maintaining a human firewall acting as vigilant defenders of your organization’s digital and physical assets.
Creating a strong human firewall begins with strong employee cybersecurity training. Strengthen your human firewall with the latest best practices from WebCE’s Cybersecurity Awareness Course.