Human Risk Management Maturity Model

A new approach: Change human behaviors to protect organizations from cyber threats

The Human Risk Management Maturity Model has been developed in collaboration with cybersecurity industry thought leaders and practitioners. This model provides security teams guidance on building stronger cyber defenses and boosting resilience. When executed well, human behaviors will improve reducing business risk, and allow the security team to become a true business partner to the rest of the organization. Additionally employees will feel empowered, and cultural change will take place, ultimately leading to a more secure world.

Measuring your journey to true HRM

Engagement is mandate-driven and aligns with meeting compliance requirements en masse.

This is often the stated goal for most security awareness and training programs; however, it is only the beginning for Human Risk Management programs.

As programs mature, workforce engagement expands to targeted efforts focused on specific risks.

For example, a user is enrolled in training after a failed phishing simulation assessment. While this remedial-driven program has expanded beyond annual compliance requirements and often delivers improved, personalized results for each employee, it lacks a strong sense of individualized ownership of an employee’s impact to the security of their organization.

Evangelists arise throughout the organization, personally motivated to improve cyber hygiene.

Users start to take the lead in their own training to “win,” either through acknowledgement (champions programs and leaderboards) or rewards such as swag or paid time off (PTO). These incentives provide the catalyst for personal motivation.

Evangelists arise throughout the organization, personally motivated to improve cyber hygiene.

Workforce engagement is driven by security champions, who become advocates for security initiatives and understand the importance of strong cyber hygiene. Business leaders prioritize cyber-risk conversations, bring awareness to the risks specific to their department or line of business, and even incorporate human risk metrics as part of their performance goals or team objectives.

Increased individualized ownership of security by end users who are invested in the cause, both professionally and personally, is solidified.

Individuals clearly understand the relationship between their actions and the impact on security, and because of this, they attain a greater sense of ownership at work and at home. Programs that get to this stage typically have operationalized Human Risk Management, using data, processes, and/or technology, to truly change human behaviors at scale.

The Human Risk Management Approach Drives Change

A mature Human Risk Management program gives security teams the insights and tools they need to identify key human risks before they escalate into a security event or an incident. It provides users with personalized guidance precisely when needed, and delivers relevant content to build a strong security culture with measurable impact. And by quantifying human risk in all areas of the business, policies are continuously improved.

How to Mature a Program

Compliance is a great first step to managing human behavior. But there’s little to no evidence that training people specifically for compliance purposes reduces risk. Organizations should be doing both. Changing the behaviors of employees is the ultimate goal to improve security posture—not just training engagement or completion.

This requires a new approach and an evolution from today’s security awareness methodology to a Human Risk Management approach. This e-book shares the steps required to take this journey, no matter where you start. Read it now!

Human Risk Management
starts with Living Security

Identify

Predict internal risk by integrating data from your existing security tools to identify vigilant and vulnerable members of your workforce across the full spectrum of security risks including identity threats, data loss, malware, phishing, and social engineering.

Protect

Educate and enable the workforce to protect against cyberattacks by initiating policy and training interventions powered by AI recommendations through nudges that accelerate behavior change with step-by-step guidance.

Report

Promote a positive culture of security vigilance. Empower employees, managers, and executives with actionable scorecards that foster a security-conscious culture, boost employee confidence, and drive safer, more vigilant security behaviors.

Explore Unify HRM Platform

Serving customers across industries

Compare Living Security

Many organizations rely on Security Awareness Training (SAT) and phishing simulations – valuable tools, but limited in scope. Here's where Living Security steps in.

Living Security's Unify platform moves beyond traditional training, offering a data-driven approach to reduce human-led risk and build a culture of cybersecurity awareness. Let's explore how Unify compares to other solutions on the market.

Integrations in to Enterprise Security Tech Stack (Ecosystem Agnostic)

100% objective, data driven insights in to Human Risk

Human Risk Visibility Beyond Email Phishing (Identity, Malware, Data Loss etc.)

Risk Based Interventions with Training Nudges and Policy Change etc.

Slack and Microsoft Teams Integration for Communications

Manager and Employee Scorecards

Comprehensive and Engaging Video Content Library (Compliance + )

Monthly Campaign in a Box (New monthly content + Marketing material)

Cybersecurity Escape Rooms

Phishing Simulations

Phishing Detection and Response (Orchestration)

Integrations in to Enterprise Security Tech Stack (Ecosystem Agnostic)

100% objective, data driven insights in to Human Risk

Human Risk Visibility Beyond Email Phishing (Identity, Malware, Data Loss etc.)

Risk Based Interventions with Training Nudges and Policy Change etc.

Slack and Microsoft Teams Integration for Communications

Manager and Employee Scorecards

Comprehensive and Engaging Video Content Library (Compliance + )

Monthly Campaign in a Box (New monthly content + Marketing material)

Cybersecurity Escape Rooms

Phishing Simulations

Phishing Detection and Response (Orchestration)

Integrations in to Enterprise Security Tech Stack (Ecosystem Agnostic)

100% objective, data driven insights in to Human Risk

Human Risk Visibility Beyond Email Phishing (Identity, Malware, Data Loss etc.)

Risk Based Interventions with Training Nudges and Policy Change etc.

Slack and Microsoft Teams Integration for Communications

Manager and Employee Scorecards

Comprehensive and Engaging Video Content Library (Compliance + )

Monthly Campaign in a Box (New monthly content + Marketing material)

Cybersecurity Escape Rooms

Phishing Simulations

Phishing Detection and Response (Orchestration)

Human Risk Management Maturity Model

A new approach: Change human behaviors to protect organizations from cyber threats

Measuring your journey to true HRM

Engagement is mandate-driven and aligns with meeting compliance requirements en masse.

As programs mature, workforce engagement expands to targeted efforts focused on specific risks.

Evangelists arise throughout the organization, personally motivated to improve cyber hygiene.

Evangelists arise throughout the organization, personally motivated to improve cyber hygiene.

Increased individualized ownership of security by end users who are invested in the cause, both professionally and personally, is solidified.

The Human Risk Management Approach Drives Change

How to Mature a Program

Human Risk Managementstarts with Living Security

Identify

Protect

Report

Serving customers across industries

Compare Living Security

Human Risk Management
Maturity Model

Human Risk Management
starts with Living Security