1. The Human Factor at the Core of Incidents: Illustrative Examples
To assess the true impact of the human factor, there is no substitute for analyzing high-profile incidents. These cases demonstrate that behind large-scale data breaches, there are often human errors, organizational gaps, or insufficient controls—vulnerabilities that attackers are quick to exploit.
The Change Healthcare Attack: A Chain of Errors with Massive Consequences
In 2024, Change Healthcare, a major U.S. healthcare data processor, experienced one of the largest data breaches in the history of the healthcare sector. Compromised credentials, unprotected by multi-factor authentication, allowed cybercriminals to access the company’s internal systems.
Once inside, the attackers did not limit themselves to deploying ransomware—they exfiltrated massive volumes of sensitive data, including personal and medical information such as diagnoses, social security numbers, addresses, and billing details.
The repercussions were immediate and long-lasting:
- Disruption of clinical and administrative operations for several months
- Millions of records exposed, with a persistent risk of identity theft
- Payment of a ransom estimated at over $20 million to prevent the disclosure of stolen data
This incident clearly demonstrates how a chain of human and organizational failures can turn a technical vulnerability into a major crisis for both the company and its clients.
An Attack on Public Infrastructure: The Dallas Case
In 2023, the city of Dallas faced a ransomware attack that compromised several municipal servers. Sensitive personal data—including names, social security numbers, and medical and insurance information—was exposed, affecting tens of thousands of residents and employees.
While technical details remain largely confidential, investigations indicate that the attackers leveraged legitimate network access to move laterally and reach critical systems before encrypting files.
These two incidents—Change Healthcare and Dallas—highlight a consistent pattern: authorized access or organizational gaps often serve as the initial entry point. In complex environments, weak signals, frequently linked to human behavior or incomplete processes, remain insufficiently monitored, providing cybercriminals with opportunities that technology alone cannot block.
2. How FortiDLP Helps Mitigate Human Factor Risks
To reduce exposure to human-factor–related risks, an approach based on visibility and the prevention of data misuse is essential. This is precisely the role of FortiDLP, which provides concrete tools to monitor, analyze, and protect critical information from errors or risky behavior.
FortiDLP is a Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solution that integrates seamlessly with existing systems, applications, and cloud environments. It not only identifies and classifies sensitive data but also tracks its flow within the organization and beyond. By analyzing behavior, detecting anomalies, and enforcing granular control policies, FortiDLP helps organizations significantly reduce risks arising from human actions—whether accidental or malicious—while maintaining smooth business processes. By combining visibility, control, and responsiveness, the solution transforms human risk management into a strategic lever for cybersecurity and data governance.
Monitoring Data Movements: Detecting Anomalies Before They Become Critical
Consider a concrete example: a sales employee suddenly downloads hundreds of client files to an unauthorized cloud storage location. FortiDLP enables organizations to:
- detect any significant deviation from normal transfer volumes
- enforce policies that immediately alert security teams
- automatically block the transfer if defined conditions are met
This ability to distinguish normal usage from unusual activity provides proactive protection, greatly reducing the risk that accidental or malicious actions compromise sensitive data.
Protecting Collaborative Exchanges
In another scenario, an analyst might inadvertently or habitually share sensitive data via email or collaboration tools. FortiDLP intervenes to:
- inspect files before they are sent to external channels
- verify whether the content falls into sensitive categories (PII, PHI, etc.)
- automatically enforce actions such as alerts, blocks, or encryption to prevent potential data leaks
This type of control is particularly critical in hybrid environments, where the boundary between internal and external data usage is often blurred.
Proactive Management of Unauthorized Applications
With the proliferation of SaaS solutions and generative AI tools, FortiDLP enables organizations to:
- detect the use of unapproved cloud services
- assess the risks associated with these applications
- enforce appropriate policies without disrupting workloads
This proactive governance complements traditional security measures, which focus on access and identity, by securing the application environment as a whole.
Contextualized Investigation and Response
In the event of an incident, the information collected by FortiDLP—including identifiers, metadata, and usage context—provides a solid factual basis. It allows organizations to:
- accelerate the understanding of events
- facilitate a rapid, targeted operational response
Thus, FortiDLP goes beyond prevention: it becomes a strategic tool for detection and response, turning data into a lever for security and governance.
3. NOVIPRO: Expertise in Service of Data Security
When it comes to human-factor–related risks, technology alone is not sufficient. Organizations need expertise capable of translating technical challenges into concrete solutions tailored to their specific context. This is precisely the role NOVIPRO plays, leveraging years of collaboration with Fortinet and extensive experience in securing IT environments.
NOVIPRO supports clients with a comprehensive cybersecurity approach: identifying vulnerabilities linked to human behavior, defining appropriate protection policies, monitoring data flows, and providing guidance on organizational best practices. The goal is not only to deploy tools, but to foster a security culture that reduces risk while maintaining operational efficiency.
This expertise is grounded in a deep understanding of hybrid and complex environments, where everyday usage can create vulnerabilities invisible to technical solutions alone. NOVIPRO helps organizations anticipate risky behaviors, detect anomalies, and implement processes that strengthen security without hindering innovation or business operations.
Through this combination of field experience, technological knowledge, and strategic methodology, NOVIPRO enables organizations to turn human-factor management into a sustainable lever for security and data governance.
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