73% of office workers say staff get blamed for cybersecurity incidents - survey

Eva Osborne

73 per cent of office workers believe their employer holds staff personally responsible – either through disciplinary action or unfavourable treatment – for cybersecurity incidents.

This is according to a study from IT.ie and SonicWall, which also revealed 29 per cent of office workers report that at least one person in their company has been fired for accidentally causing a breach in the last 12 months.

The research of 1,000 office workers based in Ireland was carried out by Censuswide on behalf of IT.ie and SonicWall.

More than a third (38 per cent) of respondents believe their company 'always’ holds employees responsible for cybersecurity incidents, while 35 per cent said they do so ‘sometimes’.

Given this stance, the survey explored the personal impact of cybersecurity threats and incidents on workers.

It found that 50 per cent of office workers feel stressed about cybersecurity in their job. This is despite the fact that the majority (60 per cent) of respondents believe employees are not to blame for unintentional breaches and incidents.

The personal toll of causing a cybersecurity breach is so great that almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of office workers said they would leave, or consider leaving, their job if they were to cause a breach.

Meanwhile, 79 per cent advocate for organisations providing mental health support to those who fall victim to cybersecurity attacks.

Despite the mounting pressure felt by employees to circumvent a growing volume of increasingly sophisticated threats, the research found that many do not feel comfortable reporting cybersecurity concerns to the relevant people.

More than a third (36 per cent) of those surveyed admitted that they have neglected to report a breach in the last 12 months, with the top reason for this cited as embarrassment, followed by fear of repercussions.

One in give said they would not be comfortable reporting a concern to upper management.

Founder and managing director at IT.ie, Eamon Gallagher, said: “This research shows that businesses are, understandably, under enormous pressure due to the growing threat posed by cybercriminals.

"However, that pressure is wrongly being felt on a personal level by employees. While it is on all of us to be vigilant, the average office worker is not a cybersecurity expert; the onus is on business and IT leaders to ensure they have taken every step possible to safeguard their business and people.

“Stringent cybersecurity measures will become legally binding for EU organisations who fall under the NIS2 directive later this year. It places the responsibility back on senior leaders to oversee training, security and business continuity measures that ensure that if, and when, a breach does happen, its impact is minimal."

Regional director for Northern Europe at Sonicwall, Stuart Taylor, said: “Our research underscores a critical issue in workplace cybersecurity culture. Blaming individuals for breaches not only fails to address the root causes of cyber incidents but also creates an environment of fear that can restrict transparency.

"It's important for organisations to build a positive atmosphere where employees feel empowered to report concerns without the fear of repercussions. As cyber threats evolve, so must our approaches to security—prioritising collective responsibility and proactive measures over a culture of blame.

“By investing in security training, businesses can better equip their teams to navigate the complex cybersecurity landscape and protect themselves from the increasingly sophisticated tactics of cybercriminals.

"It's equally important to stay ahead by implementing the latest cybersecurity defences, ensuring comprehensive protection against emerging threats."