A Strategic Framework for Human Risk Management

Despite significant investments in cybersecurity technologies, the human element remains a primary factor in the majority of security breaches, with various industry reports attributing between 68% and 90% of incidents to human action or error.

However, this is not a time to start pointing fingers. Organizations must acknowledge the reality that, inevitably, people make mistakes. In today’s work environment, employees are increasingly busy, highly distracted and often remote, so even when they do understand the dangers posed by cyber attacks, they may not have the time to fully comprehend them. This is especially true as the sophistication of social engineering attacks, now amplified by Artificial Intelligence (AI), make attacks more deliverable and that much harder to spot.

How can we expect employees to detect attacks, when traditional detection technology cannot? Modern stresses in the workplace, combined with advanced social engineering tactics make it clear that traditional, compliance-based security and awareness training is no longer su!cient for mitigating pervasive threats. Therefore, many organizations are left with a critical strategic gap in their security posture. And what better to bridge the gap with than Human Risk Management (HRM) – a strategy that moves beyond simple awareness to systematically identify, measure, and mitigate human-derived risk through a continuous, data-driven process.

This whitepaper outlines the core principles of modern HRM and introduces a conceptual model for its implementation, structured around four key pillars: Defend, Educate, Empower, and Protect (DEEP). A central component of this model is the cultivation of a robust security culture, built upon proven principles of organizational behavior. Finally, it recommends the adoption of an integrated, AI-driven HRM platform as the most e”ective means of engaging employees. Such a platform provides the necessary tools for risk assessment, personalized education, real-time coaching and automated response, enabling organizations to transform their workforce from a potential vulnerability into a resilient layer of defense.