The Phrase That Needs Rethinking
“People are the weakest link in cybersecurity.”
It’s been said so often – in presentations, policies, and post-incident reviews – that it feels like a given.
But here’s the thing:
That mindset, while popular, is incomplete.
Yes, people sometimes click malicious links or fall for scams. But if we keep treating humans as liabilities instead of assets, we miss the real opportunity – to support them better.
Maybe people aren’t the weakest link.
Maybe they’re just the least supported one.
The Email Looked Legit
It arrived just before 6 PM.
A senior executive, already wrapping up a long day, sees a subject line marked “URGENT – Confidential Movement.”
The sender? Seemingly the CEO.
The tone? Direct, serious, familiar.
The instruction? Transfer ₹12 lakhs immediately for a confidential deal that couldn’t be delayed.
She complies.
A few hours later, it’s revealed to be a sophisticated phishing attack.
- The domain name was subtly altered.
- There was no verification step.
- She had never been trained for this kind of scenario.
- The last awareness mail she received was 9 months ago – about password hygiene.
So, was she the weakest link?
Or was she just not supported in a moment that required clarity and confidence?
What the Old Mindset Misses
When an incident happens, we often ask:
- Who made the mistake?
- Why didn’t they spot it?
- Didn’t they go through training?
But rarely do we ask:
- Was the training relevant to this situation?
- Was it reinforced recently?
- Were they given examples that mirrored their real working environment?
- Was there a simple process to verify high-stakes requests?
The issue isn’t always knowledge.
It’s whether that knowledge was accessible, fresh, and applicable in the moment.
Real Awareness Is About Reinforcement, Not Reminders
Cybersecurity awareness isn’t a one-time email or annual policy update. It’s a continuous effort to:
- Build habits
- Create psychological safety
- Provide role-based clarity
- Reduce friction in making secure choices
This doesn’t mean pushing more information. It means enabling people to act with confidence – even under pressure.
That includes:
- Using stories, not just stats
- Showing people what a threat feels like, not just what it looks like
- Practicing responses through tabletop-style scenarios
- Creating a space where asking questions isn’t just allowed – it’s encouraged
Support Is the Strongest Defense
People don’t want to get security wrong.
But when we rely on outdated or generic training, we create gaps that attackers exploit.
Supporting people means:
- Making security simple, clear, and actionable
- Reinforcing messages often, not occasionally
- Empowering teams to respond, not just remember
- Treating awareness as a behavior change challenge – not just a compliance checkbox
The Story We Tell Matters
When we shift from “blame the user” to “support the human,” something powerful happens:
Security becomes a shared responsibility – not a source of fear.
And that’s the mindset behind the cybersecurity awareness work we do at Game of Storytelling.
Through engaging stories, real-world scenarios, and practical reinforcement – we help teams build confidence, not just compliance.
Game of Storytelling 