Data breaches don’t always start with hackers.
They often start with your own team unintentionally, of course. But ignorance of data protection laws doesn’t protect your business from consequences.
In fact, human error is behind 95% of data breaches, according to industry research. If your staff haven’t been properly trained, your organisation may already be at risk – and worse, so are your employees.
Here are five red flags that your team could be one click away from a serious compliance issue.
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Weak or Reused Passwords
If your staff are still using passwords like “CompanyName2023” or – even worse – the same password for multiple platforms, you’re at serious risk. Weak passwords are a direct invitation for brute force attacks, credential stuffing, and unauthorised access.
There’s loads of free password generator sites online where your team can do this easily.
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Falling for Phishing Scams
From fake invoices to bogus “IT support” emails, phishing attacks are more sophisticated than ever. If employees can’t spot a suspicious link or spoofed domain, they may unwittingly hand over login credentials or download ransomware.
Our HR consultancy supported a client facing this exact issue in our HR:ER podcast – their Finance Director transferred over £50k to a scammer after failing to properly read a phishing email.
Include phishing awareness in your training. One 30-minute session can help your team spot red flags and know when to escalate suspicious activity.
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Not Understanding What Counts as Personal Data
Personal data isn’t just names and addresses. It includes photos, IP addresses, social media handles, health data, and more. If your staff don’t understand this, they might mishandle data without realising, such as working abroad and connecting to an unsafe network.
Give your team clear, practical training on what personal data is, and how to process it lawfully under the Data Protection Act 2018.
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Unsafe Remote Work Habits
Staff working on unsecured networks, using personal devices, or sharing files via personal email accounts put your business data at risk – and the ICO won’t accept “we didn’t know” as an excuse.
Ensure staff know how to work securely – using VPNs, locking screens, and protecting their devices when working remotely.
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No Record of GDPR Training
If a breach happens, the ICO or a tribunal will ask: “Were your staff trained?”
If the answer is “no” or “not recently”- you’re in trouble.
Fix: Our CPD-accredited Data Protection online course gives your team defensible, documented training covering all these points – completed in just 30 minutes, from anywhere.
All It Takes Is One Employee to Have a Security Breach!
One untrained employee can open the door to a multimillion-pound breach. The fix? Fast, simple, and award-winning training that protects your staff and your business.
Learn more about our Data Protection training by booking a short demo!
