Home > Articles > Cisco Network Technology > General Networking > Building a Human Firewall: Raising Awareness to Protect Against Social Engineering

Building a Human Firewall: Raising Awareness to Protect Against Social Engineering

  • Date: Oct 27, 2006.

Article Description

Never heard of the human firewall? The concept behind it is to build a persistent consciousness about information security in the minds of the information system's users so they won't make errors or misbehave when dealing with information. In this article, Thierry Wohnlich proposes an alternate view of information security awareness, a view that takes into consideration the reasons behind the need for awareness, and discusses the role of the individuals in relation to information technology.

Like this article? We recommend

Penetration Testing and Network Defense

Penetration Testing and Network Defense

$71.99

Smart Factors: The Road to Success

There is a lot of information about how to set up an awareness program out there, but I also propose the following smart factors to be considered when building a human firewall. These tasks are less tangible, more people-oriented, and (for a few) longer to achieve. But as the adage says, the only way to harvest in the fall is to seed in the spring.

  • Change "Default=allow": Communicate to targeted staff that implementing systems or programs that are wide open is a legacy of behavior that is not efficient in the long term. It is always easier, cheaper, and more consistent to built security early into the system as opposed to adding a security layer on top of an insecure system. If "Default=only allow what is needed" is implemented, the awareness program will be very light in the future!

    Challenge: This is a deeply ingrained behavior that needs to be changed.

  • Work on the fundamentals: You need to communicate a strong message and you need one on which you can hold on to tightly. Make security visible to your users to send a clear message and provide them with efficient tools. As an example, secure the end user devices (and the remote access). This sends a clear message to the user: "See what effort we put to secure your data; do not jeopardize this by misconduct!" People talk about security—yes, we use full disk encryption in our company! Do not ask your users to use encryption if it takes a Nobel Prize to use the tool.

    Challenges: None. Just do it!

  • Market your processes: Processes, standards and procedures are meant to improve the efficiency of the company in its market. They are not meant to secure assets for their own beauty. Link security to the company’s business and turn your speech from the security standpoint to the business standpoint. Do not tell your user what not to do; tell them how to do it in a secure yet efficient manner. Turn from a showstopper to a solution provider. Become an agent of change.

    Challenge: You have to be involved early in your projects.

  • Speak the people’s language: Prior to delivering a message, you should first seek to understand the audience. Speak the language of the business and drop the technical talk. There is little chance that your audience is passionate about information security. They will listen if you speak in their language.

    Challenge: You have to learn to listen and to internalize more basic language.

  • Turn root cause analysis into an awareness lesson: Every incident/group of incidents should be evaluated about whether they should be part of an awareness message for the whole company to learn from.

    Challenge: Often, company representatives want to keep the issues secret because it is easier to have others believe they have a strong system than to admit that they also have weaknesses. However, it is only when a problem hits home that it becomes a part of the employees’ consciousness.

  • Train the right people: Although emphasis is often made on end users, it is important to segment your audience and to address the weakest links:

    Focus on top management because it is this group that will make the decision for tomorrow.

    Stress the communication to those who are stakeholders in information systems processes.

    Communicate to end users.

    Define any other audience of importance to your company, such as a third-party service provider.

    Challenge: Multiple efforts for multiple targets means a lot of work!

  • Hire an artist: Communication is not binary. Do not try to build information security awareness content for end users by yourself; you do not have the right sense of communication! Find someone who has 1) artistic skills and creativity; 2) good aptitude for understanding your audience; 3) only a basic knowledge of IT. You know what to do; he/she will know how to communicate it.

    Challenge: A reasonable budget is needed.

  • Measure your success: Metrics are an exciting subject, especially when it comes to information security. Without going into too much detail, it is generally accepted that the number of classes taken, the average number of people reading the messages, and so on are the way by which a security awareness program is measured. You can ask yourself whether this kind of measurement really meets the objective of minimizing user’s mistakes or deliberate acts. Security awareness involves changes, and as such is harder to measure in the short term. I propose not measuring anything at all instead of measuring things that do not reflect the objectives and that give a false sense of security.

    Challenge: You might know this common adage: "You cannot manage what you cannot measure." In other words, it might be hard to sell because management tends to like tangible ways of measuring progress or status, even if most information security metrics today do not reflect a true state or evolution of a company’s level of security.

6. Conclusion | Next Section Previous Section

Cisco Press Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from Cisco Press and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview

Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about Cisco Press products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information

To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites; develop new products and services; conduct educational research; and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@ciscopress.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information

Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security

Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children

This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing

Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information

If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out

Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by Cisco Press. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.ciscopress.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information

Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents

California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure

Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links

This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact

Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice

We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020