Simplicity Wins

The Criticality of Reducing Complexity in Cybersecurity

For decades, the cybersecurity industry has been building increasingly sophisticated security architectures in an effort to keep up with the burgeoning business of cybercrime.

The problem is … Well, it’s complicated! The complexity — of our approach AND our solutions — is arguably the biggest issue in Cyber today.

What are we doing wrong, and how can we do better to protect our organizations?
Let’s Dig In.

Complexity ≠ Security

As business leaders, we are beginning to recognize one very important, yet uncomfortable, truth: Complexity does not equal Security. As our technical defenses mature, attackers have shifted their focus to an easier target – the Human. In other words, humans are fallible. And cybercriminals are banking on it.

In the most recent, high-profile breaches (scattered spider attacks, for example, are now commonplace), the initial point of entry wasn’t some obscure zero-day exploit, but rather a successful manipulation of human behavior.

The Evidence

For five years straight, the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report has made it plain: human risk is now the single greatest driver of global breaches. The 2025 edition shows that nearly 60% of all breaches last year involved a human element. Yet, the popular notion that “people are the weakest link” often misses the point. In reality, security environments are failing their people. Complexity, confusing technical jargon, and rules designed more for auditors than actual users all make employees less likely to succeed at securing the organization.

Technology and tools will always be foundational. But the decisive factor isn’t “more security tech.” Rather, it’s the strength of your organizational security culture, AND in the ease with which we humans can adopt and manage security systems.

Keeping it Simple – And Eliminating The #1 Risk Factor Behind Successful Attacks

One consistent challenge, and a favorite tool of attackers, is the presence of shareable secrets in our daily workflows, and at the point of entry/login. Passwords, PINs, security questions, and one-time codes: these are all pieces of information that can be given away, intercepted, guessed, or phished. Sophisticated hackers know that, regardless of how advanced your defenses may be, all it takes is one well-crafted phishing message, a convincing phone call to the help desk, or a moment of confusion to persuade an employee to hand over their credentials. This reliance on secrets that can be shared, reused, or reset makes the complexity of our environments even more dangerous. The harder it is to do things securely, the more people will fall back on convenient, even risky, habits that attackers exploit.

How Simplicity Empowers Secure Behavior

Every organization already has a security culture—even if it’s not always the one they want. Security culture is defined by the shared perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes about cybersecurity across your workforce. When employees see security as integral to their job, secure behaviors happen naturally. If security feels like someone else’s problem (or, worse, as an obstacle), risk multiplies.

But here’s the reality: People adjust their behavior based on the resources and environment provided to them. And that environment isn’t just policies and training—it’s also the technology they use every day.

If security tools and processes are complex, clunky, or confusing, people will find ways around them—often unintentionally undermining your defenses. By contrast, clear, accessible guidance paired with intuitive, low-friction technology makes secure behavior second nature.

The Power of Simple Technology

Too often, organizations deploy sophisticated security solutions that are difficult to use, require multiple steps, or rely on easily-phished shareable secrets (passwords, PINs, codes). The more complicated the process, the more likely users will revert to workarounds or shortcuts.

The technological environment matters as much as the cultural one

Passwordless solutions (like TraitWare’s) which replace passwords and codes with device-based or biometric login—remove the biggest targets for attackers: “shareable secrets” that can be given away, guessed, or stolen.
Simple authentication experiences that are fast, seamless, and non-phishable mean users don’t have to choose between productivity and security—they get both.
No reset vulnerabilities: When there are no passwords to forget, there are no risky reset processes for attackers to exploit.

Four Drivers of Security Culture (And Their Tech Dimensions)

Leadership Signals: Leaders who prioritize and invest in both secure culture and secure, user-friendly technology set the foundation for success.
Security Team Engagement: Teams must deliver clear, approachable support—and make sure technology choices actually help, not hinder, staff.
Policy & Tech Design: Policies and technical controls should be so intuitive they feel invisible, supporting users—not tripping them up.
Training & Tool Adoption: The best security training is backed by tools that make “doing the right thing” the easiest option.

The Urgency of Alignment

Simplicity isn’t just a softer way to talk about security—it’s a strategic, technical imperative. If technology is so complicated that it breeds confusion or workarounds, no amount of policy or training can compensate. Real alignment comes when both the organizational culture and the tools employees use are simple, effective, and secure by design.

When you remove shareable secrets and choose intuitive technology, you cut out a primary attack vector and empower people to succeed at security—not fight against it.

Make Security Achievable—With Simplicity, Everywhere

Effective cybersecurity is not about layering ever more complex solutions; it’s about making sure that at every level—policy, culture, and especially technology—secure behavior is the easy, obvious, and natural choice.

Reduce complexity. Eliminate shareable secrets. Make security seamless.

In cybersecurity, simplicity wins.