Human resources (HR) is the business function that manages people-related processes such as hiring, role assignment, training, policy communication, performance support, and offboarding. In organizational change, HR helps translate strategy into day-to-day behavior by aligning roles, expectations, and learning programs.
In cyber security, HR matters because many controls depend on people and identity life cycles. HR events often trigger account creation, access changes, badge issuance, or deprovisioning, so delays or errors can leave unnecessary privileges in place. HR also supports security awareness training, insider-risk reporting, and clear separation of duties. Attackers may exploit HR workflows with phishing that imitates recruiters, payroll, or benefits updates, while defenders use HR data to spot risky transitions and enforce least privilege during onboarding, transfers, and exits.