Cybersecurity breaches, digital threats: Kaspersky suggests companies to setup specialised IT depts

ISLAMABAD: A global cyber security company strongly recommended Pakistani companies to setup specialized IT departments to counter cybersecurity breaches and digital threats.

A recent Kaspersky survey in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region entitled “Cybersecurity in the workplace: Employee knowledge and behavior,” found that just 41 percent of professionals in Pakistan received a training on digital threats. This knowledge gap is significant, especially given that the majority of cybersecurity breaches are attributed to human error. The findings underscore a need for IT departments to provide clear guidance and for organizations to implement structured, practical cybersecurity training that reaches employees at every level.

Many cyberattacks today are deliberately designed to bypass digital defenses by exploiting human psychology.

“Social engineering” schemes, like phishing emails, manipulate trust and urgency to trick employees into sharing sensitive information or initiating fraudulent transactions. 68.5 percent of surveyed professionals encountered scams disguised as messages from their organization, colleagues or suppliers within the past year, while 40 percent suffered negative consequences after such deceptive communication. Other cybersecurity issues closely linked to the human factor include compromised passwords, the leakage of sensitive data, unpatched IT systems and applications, unlocked and unencrypted devices.

Human-related cyberattacks can be prevented through appropriate education and awareness. 51,5 percent of respondents acknowledged they made IT-related mistakes due to a lack of cybersecurity knowledge. At the same time, training was named as the most effective means of raising cybersecurity awareness among non-IT employees: 32 percent of professionals chose it over other options such threat stories (32 percent) and references to legal responsibility (36 percent). These findings show that cybersecurity training is an essential layer of organizational defense.

To strengthen their defences organizations should consider implementing robust monitoring and cybersecurity solutions and encourage employees to report suspicious activity, reward proactive security behaviors to reinforce good habits.c

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025