In cybersecurity, as in life, one right or wrong action can determine the course of an organization…

“The Smart Cow Problem”

The "Smart Cow Problem" describes a situation where a group is called to solve a technically difficult problem, but not all its members are equally capable. Just like the first cow that opens the gate latch, allowing the others to follow, it only takes one person to find the solution, enabling the process to be widely adopted without requiring the same understanding of complexity from all participants. Indeed, the intelligence and initiative of one individual can be the key to collective evolution and progress. However, this progress can have both benevolent and malevolent intentions.

On one side is the innovative leader, who identifies an opportunity to improve defense, develops an effective solution, and integrates it into the team's daily operations. The members adopt security best practices, and the leader’s initiative results in positive, collective change (protection, resilience).

On the other side is the intelligent, malicious hacker, who discovers an advanced zero-day vulnerability in a system and "solves the problem" for the first time. Since this vulnerability has not yet been discovered, the hacker exploits it and shares their method with other malicious actors, who immediately capitalize on it, without needing to understand the details of the original solution. This threatens the security of users, businesses, and governments.

The Message

In the cybersecurity sector, there is always a need for a strong and clear message that highlights the vital importance of security to all stakeholders, especially simple users!

It is important to emphasize how quickly attacks evolve and how just one intelligent hacker, by identifying a new security vulnerability, can infiltrate a multitude of organizations. This same vulnerability can then be exploited by many organized malicious groups. At the same time, it should be stressed, from the defender's perspective, that just one mistake or lack of attention by an employee or partner can undermine all collective efforts in cybersecurity. Even the most advanced system can fail if human negligence slips in. Finally, it is crucial to underline that the initiatives and leadership skills of one individual, even if not specialized in cybersecurity, can play a decisive role in improving the overall level of an organization’s security and fostering a security culture that enhances its resilience.

Based on the "lex parsimoniae" (Ockam's Razor), which states that the simplest solution is usually the most effective, our message highlights that small, daily actions can prevent serious attacks. Often, it only takes one step, one action, one decision, one habit, or just one minute to shield both the user and the organization effectively against cyber threats. After all, one single weak link is enough to expose an entire organization to risk!

So… it takes only one!

Let’s look at the philosophy of “it takes only one” in action! The following practices, representing just a small example, show how decisive the right or wrong choice can be in real cybersecurity scenarios:

It only takes 1 weak password… to have your account breached!
It only takes 1 wrong click … to open the door to a devastating attack!
It only takes 1 intelligent malicious hacker … to infiltrate the corporate network!
It only takes 1 minute … to replace your weak password!
It only takes 1 second … to think before clicking a malicious link!
It only takes 1 hour … to read your organization’s security policy!

Business leaders must recognize that creating a culture of cybersecurity starts at the top, ensuring that every member understands their responsibility. At the end of the day, the security of the organization depends on the daily actions of every individual. Let’s make the right choice and encourage everyone to adopt simple, everyday practices that will secure the future of our organizations!