When it comes to creating a strong cybersecurity culture, one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal is the Phish Alert Button (PAB).
This unassuming little add-in for your email client can make all the difference between falling victim to a malicious email and stopping a potential cyber attack in its tracks. And yet, many employees hesitate to use it, fearing the embarrassment of being wrong.
I've been there myself. As a seasoned cybersecurity professional, I've had my fair share of moments hovering over the PAB, second-guessing my instincts. What if I'm mistaken and it's a legitimate email? Will I waste my security team's time? Will my colleagues think less of me for not being able to spot a phish?
But then I remember the story of Stanislav Petrov, a lieutenant colonel in the Soviet Air Defense Forces, whose decision to trust his instincts potentially saved the world from a nuclear war.
On September 26, 1983, Petrov was on duty at the Serpukhov-15 bunker near Moscow, monitoring the Soviet Union's early-warning satellite system. Suddenly, the system reported that the United States had launched five intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) toward the Soviet Union. Petrov's job was to report any detected threats to his superiors, who would then decide whether to launch a retaliatory nuclear strike.
However, Petrov had a gut feeling that something wasn't right. He reasoned that if the U.S. were to launch an attack, they would likely send more than just five missiles. Moreover, the satellite system was relatively new and had been known to malfunction before.
Faced with a decision that could potentially trigger a nuclear apocalypse, Petrov chose to trust his instincts and report the incident as a false alarm. He had no way of knowing for certain whether the detected missiles were real, but he chose to err on the side of caution.
As it turned out, Petrov's instincts were correct. The satellite system had indeed malfunctioned, and there were no incoming missiles. By choosing to report the incident as a false alarm, Petrov potentially saved millions of lives and prevented a catastrophic nuclear war.
Now, imagine if Petrov had let the fear of embarrassment or the potential consequences of being wrong cloud his judgment. The outcome could have been devastating.
The same principle applies to using the PAB. Just like Petrov, when employees encounter a suspicious email, they have a choice to make. They can either ignore their instincts and hope for the best, or they can trust their gut and report the email using the PAB.
Sure, there may be times when an employee reports a legitimate email as a phish, but that momentary embarrassment is a small price to pay for potentially preventing a major cyber attack.
The lesson here is clear: embarrassment is a small price to pay for the potential to prevent a disaster. And this is where the PAB comes in. It’s an easy way for employees to quickly report any suspicious emails. This empowers employees to not only become an integral part of an organization's security team, but also becomes the fundamental building block to creating a strong security culture.
Even tech giants like Microsoft recognise the importance of the PAB. In a recent collaboration with KnowBe4, Microsoft has integrated the PAB into their ribbon, making it even more accessible to users. This move not only streamlines the reporting process but also sends a powerful message: it's okay to be unsure, and it's always better to err on the side of caution.
Creating a culture where employees feel safe to use the PAB without fear of judgment is crucial. Security teams must foster an environment of openness and encouragement, where every report is valued, regardless of whether it turns out to be a real threat or a false alarm. By doing so, we can harness the collective vigilance of our entire organization in the fight against cyber crime.
So, the next time you find yourself hesitating over the PAB, remember Stanislav Petrov and the lives he saved. Embrace the potential embarrassment, knowing that it pales in comparison to the regret of staying silent in the face of a real threat.
And if you're a security leader, take a page from Microsoft's book and make the PAB as accessible and user-friendly as possible. Encourage your employees to use it, and make sure they know that their reports are always welcome and appreciated.
In the end, the power of the PAB lies not just in the technology itself, but in the culture of vigilance and collaboration it helps to create. By working together, we can build a stronger, more resilient defense against the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats. And that's something we can all be proud of, even if we do occasionally hit the PAB on a false alarm.
Here's how it works:
