How Mimecast Engage improves human risk scores

Every organization’s cybersecurity strategy must account for a critical variable that is often overlooked – human behavior. Lapses in judgment, accidental clicks, and a lack of security awareness among employees cannot be ignored in a landscape where cyber threats evolve faster than most organizations can adapt. This is why human risk scores have emerged as an important metric in cybersecurity, and why tools like Mimecast Engage are revolutionizing how organizations identify and mitigate these risks at scale.

Why human risk scores matter

Human risk scores are measurable indicators of an employee's likelihood of falling victim to a cyberattack. They are calculated based on various behavioral and contextual factors, such as an individual’s email interaction patterns, the types of links they click, and their responses to phishing simulations. These scores provide security teams with actionable insights, helping target awareness training and improve overall security posture.

For cybercriminals, humans are often the weakest link. They exploit trust, curiosity, or fear to bypass even the most robust security technologies. The cost of these mistakes is steep. Phishing attacks alone account for billions in annual damage worldwide. Tracking and improving human risk scores is no longer a luxury item on a cybersecurity to-do list, it’s a necessity.

Yet, one key question remains: How do organizations effectively reduce these risk scores while cultivating a culture of security-first thinking? That’s where Mimecast Engage comes into play.

How Mimecast Engage tackles human risk challenges

Mimecast Engage focuses on reshaping how employees interact with email and digital platforms, using advanced technology to make security awareness actionable and effective. Its influence on human risk scores can be broken into three key areas:

Continuous risk assessment

Unlike static assessments that provide a snapshot of risk, Mimecast Engage delivers continuous monitoring. The tool aggregates data from day-to-day employee interactions with emails, including flagged phishing attempts, suspicious link clicks, and responses to mock cyberattacks.

This dynamic assessment enables organizations to pinpoint vulnerabilities in real time. For instance, if a user frequently engages with questionable links, their risk score will reflect this, prompting timely intervention such as security training or additional checks on incoming emails.

Tailored security awareness training

Generic, one-size-fits-all training often falls flat. Mimecast Engage counteracts this with education programs tailored to each employee’s specific risk profile. If an employee struggles with distinguishing phishing emails, they receive focused training with real-world examples and gamified elements to improve retention.

For example, an employee whose risk score has risen due to multiple simulated phishing failures might be flagged to complete interactive microlearning. Using engaging scenarios that mimic real cyber threats, these sessions efficiently reinforce key security skills.

Automated communication protection

Mimecast Engage incorporates automated tools like AI-driven email filtering and immediate phishing threat suppression. These features do more than reduce an organization’s exposure to external threats. They empower employees to make safer decisions and reinforce good habits over time. 

For instance, if a potentially malicious email attempt gets flagged, the platform not only protects the employee, but also provides context around why the email was suspicious. This continual education, supported by technology, steadily improves human risk scores.

The benefits of using Mimecast Engage

By addressing cybersecurity at the individual level, Mimecast Engage benefits organizations in several ways:

Reduced risk of breaches

Lower human risk scores equal fewer opportunities for attacks to succeed. Whether it’s a ransomware attempt or an insider phishing scam, tackling the human factor directly reduces an organization’s overall vulnerability.

Improved workforce engagement with security

Mimecast Engage transforms security from a tedious requirement into a meaningful team exercise. Employees learn in manageable increments and see the immediate impact of their efforts on their personal risk scores, fostering a culture of accountability and collaboration.

Actionable analytics for leaders

The platform provides security teams with insights that go beyond raw numbers. They gain a clear understanding of which departments or individuals need additional support, and they can allocate resources more strategically.

Cost savings

Preventing even one high impact cyberattack can save significant operational costs and downtime. Mimecast Engage’s preventive measures make it easier to achieve these savings by addressing security concerns at their root, the human factor.

A real-world scenario

Consider a marketing department at a mid-size company, where employees frequently exchange sensitive files with external clients. This department, due to the nature of its work, has a higher exposure to phishing attempts. 

Before implementing Mimecast Engage, their human risk scores were alarmingly high due to repeated phishing clicks during quarterly testing. After deployment, the platform identified key weaknesses – specifically, a lack of awareness around suspicious links in email chains. 

Employees underwent personalized training, and automated tools responded proactively to flagged messages. Within three months, risk scores dropped drastically, reducing the company’s phishing susceptibility by over 70%. This real-world success highlights not only the platform’s impact but also the importance of addressing workplace-centric threats.

The bottom line

Human risk is the new front line in cybersecurity, and organizations can no longer afford to take a reactive approach. Mimecast Engage offers a proactive, employee-centered solution that not only reduces individual vulnerabilities but also strengthens an organization’s entire defensive network.

By focusing on tailored education, robust analytics, and continuous monitoring, Mimecast Engage helps businesses understand and reduce human risk scores more effectively than traditional methods. The result is a more secure, informed workforce ready to face today’s evolving digital threats. Now, the weakest link in cybersecurity can become the foundation of long-term resilience.