And how culture, awareness, and modern identity are your real line of defence
We often talk about layered defence, about defending against sophisticated nation-state actors, insider threats, supply chain vulnerabilities, and AI-driven phishing campaigns. But let’s be honest: we’re still losing ground to the simplest exploit vector of all – passwords.
The news this morning of KNP (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2gx28815wo), a 158-year-old Northamptonshire transport company that has been destroyed through what is believed to be a single bad password that lead to a ransomware attack, is a stark reminder that everyone remains vulnerable when the basics aren’t watertight. While full details haven’t been disclosed, the incident raises familiar questions: were reused or weak credentials involved? Was multifactor authentication enforced? Could a passwordless approach have prevented it?
It’s 2025. The fact we’re still asking these questions is telling.
The Password Problem We Know Too Well
The industry has invested vast resources into password management education and enforcement, yet the problems persist:
- They rely on human memory.
- They are easily phished, guessed, reused, and stolen.
- They create friction for users and burden support teams.
Even with the best training, password-based systems inherently shift too much security responsibility onto users, who are expected to remember dozens, sometimes hundreds, of unique, complex codes across devices and applications.
This is not just inefficient. It’s untenable.
Passwordless: A Cultural Shift
Passwordless authentication offers a better way forward, leveraging biometrics, passkeys, device-based trust, and public-key cryptography to remove the weakest link entirely.
But here’s the point too often missed: Passwordless isn’t just a technology upgrade – it’s a culture change.
To succeed, it must be:
- Understood by users
- Supported by leadership
- Embedded in secure behaviour
Which means the move to passwordless must go hand-in-hand with targeted awareness campaigns, behavioural reinforcement, and a culture that values secure access over convenience shortcuts.ficantly harder for threat actors to exploit (note this does not remove the risk 100%).
Build Secure Habits, Not Just Secure Systems
Even the best identity technology will fall short if your people:
- Don’t trust it
- Don’t understand it
- Find ways around it
That’s why behavioural education is critical. Moving to passwordless isn’t just an IT project, it’s a chance to reframe authentication as a positive, empowering user experience.
At CyBehave, we encourage organisations to:
- Run awareness campaigns that demystify passwordless tech
- Use behavioural science techniques (like prompts, defaults, and framing) to shape adoption
- Align the move with broader messages around psychological safety and shared responsibility
- Encourage peer-led support through champion networks
Because people don’t just need to be told what to do, they need to believe in why it matters.
Awareness + Identity = Resilience
When you combine strong identity strategy with behavioural awareness, you get something more powerful than any single control: a culture of secure access.
That culture reduces risk in three key ways:
- Closes the door on basic credential-based attacks
- Reduces resistance to new security controls
- Encourages early reporting and shared vigilance
And as you evolve from legacy passwords to modern methods, that culture becomes the foundation for sustainable cyber resilience.
Leadership Takeaways
This is a leadership moment, not just a technical upgrade.
🔹 Don’t delay: The longer you stay on passwords, the longer you remain exposed to avoidable risk.
🔹 Don’t silo it: Involve behavioural, communications, HR, and learning teams to ensure adoption.
🔹 Don’t go quiet: Over-communicate the why. Make passwordless part of your modern, secure, user-first identity vision.
Final Word
“We don’t just need secure systems, we need secure behaviours, reinforced by a culture that makes the right choice the easy choice.”
The password era is over. Let’s stop pretending otherwise.
It’s time to modernise identity, empower users, and build the cultural readiness to support it.
No more excuses.
No more passwords.
Just a smarter, safer way forward.
#Passwordless #CyBehave #ZeroTrust #IdentitySecurity #CyberResilience #CybersecurityCulture #CyberBehaviours