BUILDING A HUMAN FIREWALL

Cybercrime isn't just a systems problem – it's a people problem. Despite billions being invested in technology, human behaviour remains the single biggest vulnerability. The question is not whether your organisation is at risk. It is whether your people are your biggest vulnerability or your best line of defence.

Cybercrime is at an all-time high, leaving every business vulnerable and exposed.

Prudent organisations are stepping up with advanced technology, layered defences, and sophisticated monitoring systems. But the uncomfortable truth is that human behaviour, rather than systems or protocols, remains the single biggest vulnerability. Whether it is clicking on a malicious link, delaying the reporting of a mistake, or assuming IT will handle it, employees often – unwittingly – become the entry point for attackers.

Global data reveals the scale of the threat:

Businesses worldwide are expected to suffer US$10.5 trillion in losses from cybercrime by the end of 2025.

Organisations in Africa face 72% more weekly cyberattacks than the global average, according to Check Point.

In South Africa, more than 205 000 accounts were leaked in just the first quarter of 2025, according to IT-Online.

The stakes could not be higher, with financial loss, regulatory penalties, reputational damage, and erosion of customer trust the greatest fallout.

What is becoming increasingly clear is that while technology can protect systems, organisations remain dangerously exposed until they embed vigilance, accountability, and psychological safety into their cultural DNA.

BUILDING A HUMAN FIREWALL

The Performance Agency recently worked with a leading financial institution to build a human firewall against cybercrime by identifying and eliminating risky and unsafe online behaviour.

This is what we did:

We destigmatised
vulnerability

By reframing cyber risk as an everyday reality rather than a personal failing, we created the psychological safety needed for people to speak up.

We ritualised

vigilance

By embedding simple daily habits – from checking links to reporting suspicious activity – we helped colleagues turn awareness into consistent action.

We reinforced shared responsibility

By showing that every individual is a

brick in the human firewall, we made

clear that security is not the job of IT alone, but the collective responsibility

of the whole organisation.

This work turned cybersecurity from a set of protocols into a shared culture of intent
– one where vigilance, accountability, and learning became part of daily behaviour.

THE IMPACT

By embedding vigilance, accountability, and shared responsibility into the culture, we turned cybersecurity from a technical function into a human commitment – one that every person in the organisation got behind.

People reported threats and near misses more quickly and openly.

Colleagues supported one another in staying alert and safe online.

Employees felt confident and accountable for their role in protecting the organisation.

Leaders saw transparency grow as vigilance became part of daily behaviour.

Online threats will only get more sophisticated, and cyber criminals more determined. This means every organisation must, in addition to technical firewalls, look to building human firewalls that embed vigilance, accountability, and shared responsibility into the fabric of daily work.

Talk to us about how we can help your organisation turn cyber security from a technical function into a cultural commitment – and build the human firewall you need to stay ahead of evolving threats.