Human Error in IT Systems: How Employee-Driven Risks Cause Failures and How to Fix Them

IT systems keep businesses running, but they are vulnerable—not just to hackers but also to human error. 68% of data breaches involve human mistakes, making them a major security risk. (Verizon DBIR 2024) Additionally, 47% of organizations worry about cyber threats powered by generative AI (GenAI), which can exploit these human-driven weaknesses. (WEF Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025)

Simple mistakes like entering incorrect data, misconfiguring systems, or skipping critical tests can cause major issues, from downtime and security breaches to financial losses.

In this blog, we’ll break down how human error weakens IT systems, share real-world examples, and explore how Keepnet’s solutions help organizations reduce these risks.

The Role of Human Error in IT System Failures

Human error is an inevitable part of any organization. Even the most skilled employees can make mistakes, especially in complex IT environments. These errors can result in system failures, security breaches, and financial losses. From misconfigurations and bad data entry to untested edge cases and cascading failures, human mistakes can cause severe disruptions.

Below, we explore how these errors impact IT systems, with real-world examples illustrating their consequences.

1. Bad Data: A Hidden Threat

Incomplete, inaccurate, or unvalidated data can cause transaction failures, security breaches, and compliance issues. These errors often stem from human mistakes, leading to serious consequences.

Lack of Data Validation: Without proper verification, IT systems may process incorrect or unverified data, leading to system crashes or misinformation.

Example: In 2020, the Iowa Democratic Party’s caucus app failed due to poor data validation, causing delays and inaccuracies in election results. (Source)

Email Misuse & Data Leaks: Human error in email handling can expose sensitive information, leading to privacy breaches.

Example: In April 2022, the UK Government’s Visa and Citizenship Application Service (UKVCAS) mistakenly copied over 170 email addresses into a public email, exposing private information of individuals and law firms. Similar breaches had occurred in previous years due to email mismanagement. (Source)

To prevent these human errors that disrupt work operations, employees need proper security awareness training. Learn more about how adaptive security awareness training can help in Keepnet’s article on What is Role-Based Security Awareness Training, and How Can It Be Customized and Adapted?.

2. Unexpected Surges in Usage: The Unintentional Overload

Sudden increases in system usage can overload IT infrastructure, causing slowdowns, crashes, and financial losses. While some surges result from external factors (e.g., viral marketing campaigns), many stem from employee mistakes such as misconfigurations and inadequate testing.

Lack of Load Testing: If IT teams fail to test systems under high-traffic conditions, they may not realize performance limits until failure occurs.

Example: In 2023, the UCAS website crashed on A-level results day when thousands of students tried to log in simultaneously. The system couldn't handle the surge, leaving many frustrated and unable to access their grades. (Source)

Preventing these failures requires better load testing, monitoring, and employee awareness to ensure systems can handle unexpected demand.

3. Untested Edge Cases: The Hidden Flaws

Edge cases—rare or unusual scenarios during system operation—are often overlooked during testing. Human error plays a significant role in this oversight.​

Incomplete Testing: Employees may focus on common use cases and neglect to test edge cases, leaving the system vulnerable to unexpected failures.​

Example: In 2023, a vulnerability in Progress Software's MOVEit Transfer application was exploited, leading to a significant data breach affecting thousands of organizations and nearly 100 million individuals. The flaw had not been identified during standard testing procedures. (Source)

4. Cascading Failures: The Domino Effect

A small system failure can trigger a chain reaction, leading to widespread disruptions across multiple services. Human error is often the root cause, as misconfigurations or delayed responses can escalate minor issues into major outages.

Misconfigured Dependencies: If employees incorrectly configure system dependencies, a failure in one component can spread across the entire network.

Example: In July 2024, a faulty update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused 8.5 million Windows systems to crash worldwide. The update led to machines entering boot loops or failing to restart, disrupting industries such as airlines, banks, and hospitals. (Source)

Poor Incident Response: A slow or improper response to a minor failure can intensify system-wide downtime.

Example: In July 2024, Delta Air Lines faced major flight cancellations and delays due to a global IT outage. The prolonged recovery process stranded passengers worldwide, highlighting weaknesses in incident response and system resilience. (Source)

5. Speed Issues: The Compounding Problem

System slowdowns frustrate users, disrupt operations, and create security vulnerabilities that cybercriminals can exploit. Human errors in coding and resource management often contribute to these issues, weakening system defenses.

Inefficient Code: Poorly optimized software can overload systems, making them easier targets for cyberattacks such as DDoS exploits.

Example: In January 2025, Barclays suffered a major IT outage due to a software issue in its UK mainframe operating system, leaving customers unable to access accounts for days. The disruption exposed potential security gaps, forcing the bank to strengthen its cybersecurity measures. Barclays later agreed to pay £12.5 million in compensation for the failure.(Source)

Overloaded Resources: Running too many concurrent processes can weaken system defenses, increasing the risk of cyber intrusions during outages.

Example: During the 2025 Barclays outage, the system struggled to handle peak transaction loads, further delaying recovery and leaving critical infrastructure vulnerable to exploitation.

To prevent such failures, organizations must implement rigorous code testing, optimize resource management, and enforce strong cybersecurity protocols to protect against potential attacks.

How Keepnet Helps Address Employee-Driven IT Risks

Keepnet’s Extended Human Risk Management platform helps organizations build a strong security culture by combining AI-driven phishing simulations, adaptive training, and automated incident response. These solutions reduce human error, prevent social engineering attacks, and improve threat response times. Here’s how Keepnet minimizes employee-driven IT risks:

Phishing Simulations

Keepnet’s Phishing Simulator uses AI-powered phishing simulations to increase phishing reporting by up to 92%, helping employees recognize and respond to phishing threats more effectively.

Security Awareness Training

Keepnet’s Security Awareness Training has led to a 90% reduction in high-risk behaviors, helping organizations build a stronger security culture and reduce cyber risks.

Automated Incident Response

Keepnet’s Incident Responder helps organizations analyze and respond to email threats 48.6 times faster, minimizing the damage caused by phishing attacks and reducing IT workload.

AI-Driven Security Metrics & Nudges

Keepnet uses advanced AI to track employee behaviors and identify vulnerabilities. Behavioral nudges reinforce secure practices in real time, preventing mistakes like falling for phishing emails or using unauthorized applications.

By integrating these solutions, Keepnet enables businesses to proactively manage human risk, reduce cybersecurity threats, and strengthen their overall security posture.

Reducing IT Failures by Eliminating Human Error

Human error is a leading cause of IT failures, but it can be prevented. Mistakes like data entry errors, misconfigurations, untested scenarios, and slow response times lead to security breaches, downtime, and financial losses.

Organizations can minimize these risks with security awareness training, automated threat detection, real-time monitoring, and behavioral nudges that guide employees toward better security decisions.

Keepnet’s Human Risk Management Platform helps businesses train employees, automate phishing response, and reduce high-risk behaviors by up to 90%—preventing IT failures before they happen.

Explore Keepnet’s Extended Human Risk Management Platform to strengthen your organization’s security.