Well, yes and no.  Whilst cybersecurity is often described as “common sense,” that statement is only partly true. Common sense does help avoid some online threats, but modern cybersecurity also requires awareness of evolving risks, organisational safeguards and some technical knowledge. Cybersecurity is best understood as a combination of common sense, education, and technology.  Or as we in cybersecurity, like to say, ‘People, Process and Technology.

On one hand, many cybersecurity practices are based on common-sense principles. People are advised not to share passwords, not to click on suspicious links, and to be cautious when receiving unexpected emails or messages. These actions are like everyday safety habits, such as locking doors or being careful when speaking to strangers. As is shows in the graphic above, you don’t go out in the morning, locking your doors, but leaving your windows open.  In cyber the use of strong passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication, and keeping software up to date are practical measures that reduce the likelihood of cyberattacks.

However, cybersecurity extends far beyond everyday judgment. Cybercriminals use sophisticated techniques such as phishing, ransomware, malware, and social engineering that can deceive even experienced users. Attackers often create convincing fake websites, emails, or phone calls that appear legitimate. As technology evolves, new vulnerabilities emerge that are not obvious to the average person. Without proper training, users may not recognise these threats, regardless of how cautious they are.

In addition, organisations cannot rely solely on employees’ common sense to protect their systems. Small to medium businesses need to implement security policies, use firewalls, anti-malware as a minimum, whilst considering encryption, intrusion detection systems, and regular security audits to defend against attacks. Employees should also be receiving regular cybersecurity awareness training to help them identify threats and respond appropriately. These technical and organisational measures complement individual responsibility.

Another reason cybersecurity is not simply common sense is that many attacks exploit software vulnerabilities rather than human mistakes. Even careful users can become victims if systems are not patched or if security controls are inadequate. This highlights the importance of skilled cybersecurity professionals who continuously monitor networks, manage risks, and respond to incidents.  The issue here is that many SMEs simply don’t have the knowledge to fully understand what is, and what is not, happening on their systems.

I going to show some examples now, not to showcase my managed service so much, but to demonstrate what most people simply don’t think about.  I could have chosen any of a dozen or so, but I’ve alighted on these.  In the example below, we are showing client services that are exposed to the internet.  This is something that an SME simply wouldn’t know about or perhaps understand the significance.

Figure 1 – Issue Types

What this shows is the varied types of issues that can arise and that need constant monitoring to stay on top of. These types of issues tend to fly under the radar of most SMEs, and for that matter many bigger companies, and can be exploited by hackers and scammers, with the aim of stealing your hard earned cash.

This next example shows an account compromise as it occurs. Most organisations will not know this is happening until it’s too late. If you can get an early heads up then you stand a chance of stopping it from occurring. All the common sense in the world won’t help you detect a breach as it’s happening, that takes monitoring or an absolute ton of luck.

Figure 1 – Potential account compromise

What we’ve seen here are just two examples of where common sense will only take you so far.  It’s a horrible expression, but you really don’t know what you don’t know.

In conclusion, cybersecurity involves an element of common sense, particularly in practicing safe online behaviour.  However, common sense alone is insufficient in today’s complex digital environment. Effective cybersecurity depends on a combination of informed users, ongoing education, robust technology, and well-designed security policies. Only by integrating these elements can individuals and organisations effectively protect themselves against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

We’d be happy to provide more information via a demonstration of our managed capability, including the offer of a fully functional and totally free 14-day trial.