Mystery Guest research

Don’t just test your company’s digital security, focus on the human factor within your organization. Learn how an undercover investigation reveals weaknesses in physical security and internal procedures, and why it is essential to know how employees react to strangers.

What is a Mystery Guest survey?

A Mystery Guest survey is one that tests employee awareness and also tests physical access for unauthorized persons within an organization. In this investigation, a professional pretends to be an employee, guest or visitor, and thus will find out undercover weaknesses in physical security and internal procedures. This involves not only testing physical and digital access, but also seeing how employees react to strangers and whether they correctly follow visitor control and information security protocols.

What does CyberAnt do during a Mystery Guest investigation?

At CyberAnt, we take our Mystery Guest research very seriously. We begin with thorough preparation, identifying our client’s objectives and developing a scenario that fits their corporate culture and procedures. Our experts then mingle unnoticed among staff or visit specific departments as “guests, colleagues or other assumed roles,” with the goal of testing alertness and compliance with safety protocols. We pay attention to everything from the way we are greeted to how easily we can access restricted areas or sensitive information.

How do we address that?

1. Targeted Plan: By default, we begin with an intake to understand your goals.
2. Custom Made: Based on the objectives, we create a plan of action and determine how everything will be tested.
3. Implementation: We visit the location, assume the role there that has been predetermined and perform all assignments.
4. Report: Upon completion, you will receive a detailed report with all findings such as responses and outcomes of all assignments completed. For each finding, the risk is indicated and corresponding advice for improvements and solutions is provided.

Why is this research so hugely important?

Even when using the most modern and technological security, human error remains one of the greatest risks. The Mystery Guest survey provides instant insight into how your employees react to potentially dangerous situations in practice. Not only does it help identify weak spots where a security risk arises, it also contributes to a culture of alertness and security awareness within organizations. With the outcome of this research, you can target your organization to make it more secure against external threats. Consider shaping training, tightening procedures and making awareness part of the corporate culture.