A lack of cybersecurity awareness is contributing to IT-related mistakes among employees in Pakistan, according to a Kaspersky survey covering workers across the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa.
The survey found that 18.5 percent of Pakistani respondents said they had made workplace IT mistakes because they did not have sufficient cybersecurity knowledge.
Being in a hurry was identified as an even more common factor. Around 20.5 percent of respondents in Pakistan said rushing contributed to mistakes while handling workplace technology and digital tasks.
The findings highlight how human behavior can become an important cybersecurity risk for organizations. Even when businesses have security software and technical safeguards in place, employees can unintentionally create vulnerabilities through simple mistakes.
Tiredness and stress were each identified by 16 percent of respondents as factors behind workplace IT errors. Another 16 percent said they were affected by receiving too many notifications.
Meanwhile, 15 percent of respondents attributed their mistakes to oversight. The figures indicate that employees can face several distractions and pressures while working with digital systems, potentially affecting their ability to identify security threats.
Kaspersky said the constant flow of alerts, messages and other information can reduce concentration. This environment may make employees more vulnerable to cyberattacks and social engineering techniques.
Social engineering attacks often rely on manipulating people rather than directly attacking technical systems. Cybercriminals may attempt to persuade employees to click malicious links, reveal sensitive information, transfer funds or provide access to company accounts.
A distracted or rushed employee may be more likely to overlook warning signs in an email, message or website. This makes cybersecurity awareness an important part of an organization’s overall defense strategy.
The survey findings also suggest that cybersecurity training should go beyond explaining technical threats. Employees need practical guidance on how to respond when they are under pressure, receiving multiple notifications or dealing with unfamiliar digital requests.
Regular awareness programs can help workers recognize phishing attempts, suspicious messages, unusual login requests and other common warning signs. Organizations can also encourage employees to pause and verify unusual requests rather than responding immediately.
The issue is particularly relevant as Pakistani businesses increasingly rely on digital communication, cloud services, online payments and remote access systems. Greater dependence on technology can create more opportunities for cybercriminals if security practices do not keep pace.
Companies may therefore need to combine technical security measures with employee education. Strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, security software and access controls can provide important protection, but informed employees remain a critical part of the security process.
The Kaspersky findings show that workplace cybersecurity is not only a technical challenge. Stress, fatigue, rushing, information overload and limited cybersecurity knowledge can all influence how employees respond to potential threats.
For Pakistani organizations, improving cybersecurity awareness could help reduce preventable IT mistakes and strengthen protection against increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks and social engineering attempts.
