The Human Link: Why Your Biggest Cybersecurity Risk Isn't a Firewall

Dr. Niklas Richter · 2026-09-01

Think your company's ready for a cyberattack? Honestly, most aren't. The digital threats out there are getting smarter by the day. Phishing emails now look so real they'd fool just about anyone. That's the exact conversation I had with Manon Vandebergh, COO of the cybersecurity firm Phished. She sat down to share some hard truths about where businesses are most vulnerable. Spoiler alert: it's not the software. It's us. ### The Human Firewall: Your First and Last Line of Defense We spent a lot of time talking about the psychology behind phishing. Attackers don't just blast out emails anymore. They research. They personalize. They prey on urgency and our natural desire to be helpful. Manon broke down the latest techniques you need to watch for. Think CEO fraud, fake invoice scams, and credential-harvesting pages that are pixel-perfect copies of your bank's login. It's scary stuff. But she also shared the simple, actionable steps any entrepreneur can take right now to build a stronger human firewall. - **Train for the moment of panic.** Don't just teach rules; simulate real attacks so employees learn to recognize that gut feeling. - **Create a 'no-blame' reporting culture.** If someone clicks a suspicious link, you need to know immediately, not after they've hidden it for weeks out of shame. - **Verify, then trust.** A simple phone call to confirm a strange payment request can save your company thousands of dollars. As Manon put it, "The most expensive security tool in the world is useless if someone just hands over the keys." ### From Belgian Startup to Global Player: The Phished Story Beyond the security talk, Manon opened up about Phished's own incredible growth journey. How do you build an international scale-up from Belgium? It comes down to what she calls an "unfair competitive advantage." For them, it's a culture built on radical honesty—or "Parlez-Vrai" as they say. This means direct feedback, transparent goals, and founders who stay deeply involved in sales. Manon believes founders have a unique passion and insight that can't be delegated, especially in the early scaling phases. ### No Tech Background? No Problem. We wrapped up with a topic close to Manon's heart: women in tech. Her own path wasn't traditional. She made a powerful case that you don't need an engineering degree to thrive in the technology sector. Success comes from understanding problems, building relationships, and leading teams—skills that transcend any specific technical knowledge. This whole conversation was a goldmine of insights for any business leader. It's about more than just cybersecurity. It's about leadership, building a resilient culture, and growing a business with real impact. The lesson is clear: protecting your company starts with empowering your people. Everything else is just backup.