At Indigo IT, we’ve long championed a layered approach to cyber security. From endpoint protection to access controls and firewalls, our recent Defence in Depth blog explored the six critical layers that form a comprehensive strategy to keep your systems and data safe. But there’s one layer that underpins all the others. It’s one that no software or hardware solution can fully protect on its own: your people.

Technology may form the backbone of cyber security, but human behaviour is often the deciding factor. A single misstep, a misplaced click, an innocent file download, a weak password reused one too many times – can compromise even the most robust infrastructure. That’s why employee training isn’t just a ‘nice to have’. It’s a vital, strategic investment that can offer significant benefits and may be the difference between business as usual and a serious breach of data protection.

The Reality: Human Error Is Still the Number One Cyber Risk

You’ve probably heard it before, but it bears repeating: human error is responsible for the majority of cyber security breaches. According to IBM’s 2023 Cost of a Data Breach report, nearly 95% of incidents can be traced back to user behaviour. That includes falling for phishing attacks, using weak passwords, skipping software updates, or unknowingly disclosing sensitive data.

Cybercriminals aren’t only exploiting technology – they’re exploiting people. Social engineering, spoofed emails, and increasingly convincing fake applications are designed to trick users. And no matter how sophisticated your defences are, without ongoing employee training, these tactics work.

This is especially important for businesses aiming to comply with frameworks like SOC2 and ISO2007, where security controls and awareness are essential parts of certification.

The Human Firewall: An Overlooked Security Layer

Just as you deploy antivirus and access control tools, you need to equip your team with the awareness to recognise and respond to cyber threats. This approach builds what we call a “human firewall”, an informed, empowered workforce that helps defend your systems and supports compliance with standards like SOC2 and ISO2007.

Here’s why this matters:

• Phishing continues to rise. With AI-generated content and deceptive branding, phishing emails are more difficult than ever to spot.
• Remote and hybrid working introduces risk. More devices and less visibility increase the chance of accidental breaches.
• Application security awareness is limited. Many users can’t tell the difference between legitimate platforms and fake ones, which puts your data protection strategy at risk.

Training That Goes Beyond the Basics

Effective employee training isn’t about fear tactics or once-a-year sessions. It’s about empowering your team with practical knowledge they can use every day, delivered regularly and with relevance to their roles.

At Indigo IT, we help businesses develop cyber awareness programmes that:

• Teach users how to identify threats like phishing, malware, credential stuffing, and business email compromise.
• Show safe practices across all six critical layers, including secure endpoint use, password hygiene, and cloud application awareness.
• Emphasise secure application use, which is key to maintaining control over your digital estate.
• Offer phishing simulations and real-time feedback to reinforce habits.
• Tailor content to different roles and departments, ensuring relevance and increasing engagement.

These programmes are essential for maintaining compliance with SOC2 and ISO2007, both of which require demonstration of security awareness initiatives and proactive risk management.

Combining People and Technology for Total Data Protection

Your technology stack may be top-tier, but if your employees aren’t prepared, your systems are still vulnerable. We’ve worked with many businesses that already have firewalls, endpoint protection, and secure applications but still experienced breaches due to human error.

For example, a business using multi-factor authentication (MFA) might still face a breach if an employee mistakenly approves a fake login prompt. This is where employee training bridges the gap, reinforcing good practices that protect both your systems and your compliance posture.

When training is integrated into your wider cyber security strategy, the benefits are clear:

• Reduced risk of breaches
• Improved data handling and compliance
• Increased awareness of real-world threats
• Greater support for achieving SOC2 and ISO2007 standards

Indigo IT: Creating a Culture of Cyber Awareness

At Indigo IT, we go beyond technology. We help businesses embed a culture of security awareness across their teams, aligning people, processes, and tech to deliver long-term cyber security resilience.

Our services include:

• Bespoke employee training programmes built around your sector’s needs
• User risk scoring to identify where extra support is needed
• Ongoing reporting to measure progress and reinforce accountability
• Security-first strategies that support compliance with SOC2, ISO2007, and other regulatory requirements

This approach ensures you don’t just meet your data protection obligations; you build a smarter, safer business.

Application Security

Of course, we cannot solely rely on human error when it comes to cyber-attacks, having strong application security measures will prevent attacks on your business. Here at Indigo IT, our expert team delivers end-to-end data security solutions to keep your business protected and running smoothly, including disaster recovery backups, email encryption and Microsoft 365 daily backups.

Combining cyber training within your company and our application security solutions, you will be prepared for any risk.

Time to Strengthen the Human Layer?

If you’ve invested in firewalls, backups, or application security, you’ve already made progress. But without regular employee training, you’re still leaving a critical gap. Compliance standards like SOC2 and ISO2007 highlight the importance of user awareness for good reason; your people are part of the solution.

Ask yourself:

• Have your employees been trained on recent threats?
• Do they know how to recognise suspicious behaviour or phishing emails?
• Are you actively promoting cyber security awareness as part of your culture?

If not, now is the time to start.

Let Indigo IT help you protect your people and your data. From employee training to full-scale data protection and cyber security strategy, our team will help you build smarter defences with measurable benefits. Contact Matt today.