BAM!
You’re driving down the road and suddenly you hit another car, a vehicle that was in your blind spot.
You’ve probably known about that type of blind spot since you were 16. But here’s a blind spot you might not know much about:
Cognitive bias.
Just like every driver has a blind spot, every human experiences cognitive bias, even tech-savvy professionals like MSP owners and technicians.
What is it?
Well, cognitive bias refers to the subconscious mental shortcuts that the brain takes when it processes a situtaion through personal experience and preference. It happens in an instant and it can cloud judgment and decision-making, even when you possess extensive technical expertise.
And again, much like the blind spot when you drive, cognitive bias can be addressed best by first acknowledging this phenomenon exists and thus taking steps to minimize its impact on your operations.
How can this affect your MSP?
- Overlooking security risks: Bias can cause you to favor evidence that aligns with your initial assumptions. The specific name for this is confirmation bias, and it can create some very negative consequences when it causes you to overlook security risks that don't fit your preconceived notions.
- Relying On What You Know: As an experienced professional, bias can cause you to rely on recent incidents or familiar examples that can result in a distorted or inaccurate view of the risk landscape.
- Getting Trapped By Your Initial Impressions: If you aren’t alert, your initial impressions or information received from clients might color your risk assessments, causing you to miss potential threats that arise from evolving cyberattacks.
Cognitive bias can significantly impact your risk management efforts, potentially exposing your clients' systems to vulnerabilities. And just like a driver’s blind spot, cognitive bias can has very disasterous consequences.
Specifically, there are three major dangers:
It Gives You A False Sense of Security: Biased judgments might lead you to underestimate the severity of risks or assume that your clients' networks are adequately protected when they’re not.
It Causes You To Have A Delayed Response: Hesitation caused by cognitive biases could mean a missed opportunity to address security gaps promptly, giving hackers the upper hand.
It Keeps You From Being Thorough: Failing to challenge your own biases may result in incomplete risk assessments, leaving your clients' sensitive data at risk.
But guess what?
Third-Party Collaboration Can Resolve Cognitive Bias
As an MSP, relying solely on your own judgment is not enough to combat cognitive bias effectively. Encouraging a collaborative approach within your team can help mitigate biases and improve the quality of your risk assessments.
Give your team a diverse perspective. Team discussions bring fresh viewpoints, challenging assumptions, and enabling a more comprehensive evaluation of potential risks.
Show your team cross-functional insights. Involve individuals with varied backgrounds and expertise to address security from different angles, reducing the likelihood of biased conclusions.
Blind spots when you drive can cause accidents which result in pain and financial complications. We don’t like them, but we’re safer drivers by acknowledging they exist. Cognitive bias can cause problems leading to pain and financial complications. Your MSP will be greatly improved by awareness of this complication and bringing in a third-party.
The choice is yours. Take action now or wait for BAM!
Need a second opinion? Consider a cyber stack assessment to validate your stack.
Want a solution to help communicate risk to your client WITHOUT adding liability on your plate?
Consider a kick starter conversation with our strategy team.
