FRESNO, California – Cody Sarhan, Communications Specialist
Bringing on new employees is exciting. New ideas, fresh perspectives, and a shiny new face to the team — what’s not to love? But along with that fresh talent comes a golden opportunity for cybercriminals to sneak in. You might love your new hire, but hackers love them even more.
That’s right, hackers are preying on the fact that new employees haven’t quite found their footing yet. They’re banking on the enthusiasm that leads to clicking before thinking, and they’re hoping for loose security practices during onboarding. So, what can you do to make sure your company’s newest team members don’t unintentionally open the door to a cyberattack?
Learn more: How Xobee can protect your business while you focus on growing your business
How to Prevent a Dream Hire From Turning Into a Nightmare Situation
Think about it, you’ve just joined a new company; you’re pumped, eager to show off your skills, and excited to make a good impression. The last thing on your mind is the lurking cyber threat waiting to pounce on your lack of familiarity with the company’s systems. You get an email that looks like it’s from your boss, asking you to review a file. Sure, why not? *Click* Bam! Just like that, you’re the victim of a phishing attack, and your company’s data is on the line.
It happens more than you think. Cybercriminals know that new hires are green when it comes to company security policies. They’re betting on them not knowing the ropes yet – often, they’re right. According to Stanford Research, 88% of breaches involve some form of human error, with new hires being prime candidates for those missteps.
The High-Risk Moments of Onboarding
Onboarding is hectic. There’s paperwork, training, and a million new things to learn. But that chaos is exactly what makes it a vulnerable time for cybersecurity. Here are some common tripwires:
- The Password Problem
Temporary passwords sent over email or even shared verbally might as well be gift-wrapped presents for cybercriminals. New hires get a temp password, and let’s be honest, many don’t change it right away. Or, worse, they change it to something like “Password123.” - Overenthusiastic Access
Let’s face it, sometimes, in the spirit of welcoming a new hire, companies hand over more access than they need. “Oh, you might need this system later, so here’s the full rundown.” But that can lead to accidental breaches if their account is hacked before they’ve learned the proper security measures. - Phishing and Social Engineering Galore
New hires are the perfect target for phishing because they’re still learning who’s who. They don’t know that Frank from Finance never asks for login credentials over email. They just want to help – and hackers know how to play that game.
Essential Ways to Strengthen Onboarding Security
You don’t have to turn onboarding into a cybersecurity boot camp (though wouldn’t that be fun?), but with a few key steps, you can turn new hires from cyber risks into cyber defenders.
- Grant Access with Care (aka Don’t Hand Over the Kingdom’s Keys)
Think of employee access like giving someone the keys to a car. Do to know how to get around the whole city — just enough to get from A to B. Only give new hires what they need for their role. Keep it lean and mean.
- Ditch the Sketchy Password Practices
No more plain text passwords in emails, okay? Instead, implement a secure password distribution tool that makes it easy for new employees to create their own passwords — strong, unique ones, not something a toddler could guess. Tools like password managers or encrypted portals can do wonders here.
- Train, Train, Train (and Then Train Some More)
Don’t throw them into the deep end! Your onboarding should include comprehensive security training. Teach them how to spot phishing attempts, what suspicious activity looks like, and how to avoid common mistakes. Make it interactive, even gamify it. A well-trained employee is your first line of defense.
- Keep Your Guard Up with Automated Tools
Even with training, we’re all human, right? That’s where tools come in. With Xobee Networks’ virus protection and spam filtering systems, you’ll have an extra layer of defense working behind the scenes to catch threats before they even hit the inbox. Don’t just rely on people — let the tech handle the heavy lifting.
New Employee, Who Dis? A Culture of Cybersecurity
Here’s the thing: Security is everyone’s responsibility. From your new hire on their first day to your most seasoned pro, everyone should be thinking about keeping your company safe. Make security part of your company culture. Chat about it in meetings, share updates on the latest scams, and reward employees who show vigilance. Build a culture where it’s not only encouraged but expected that everyone stays alert to security risks.
Why Xobee is Your Secret Weapon
Onboarding is tricky enough without the looming threat of cyberattacks. That’s where Xobee Networks steps in. We’re here to make sure your new employees — and your existing ones — are locked down tight. From secure cloud hosting and backup redundancies to expert IT consulting and cybersecurity services, we’ve got you covered. Need spam filtering? Check. Virus protection? Double-check. Data recovery services when things go wrong? You bet.
At Xobee , we don’t just keep your business running; we keep it running securely. So, next time you’re bringing on new talent, make sure cybersecurity is part of the conversation — and let us handle the heavy lifting.
Xobee Networks now has engineers servicing clients within Fresno, Clovis, Madera, San Jose, Sacramento, San Francisco & the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Las Vegas, Bakersfield, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Anaheim, Palm Springs, and more.
Cody Sarhan | Communications Specialist, Xobee Networks
