Why Every Business Needs Cybersecurity Training for Employees—And How to Get Started
What Is Cybersecurity Training and Threat Awareness?
Cybersecurity training and threat awareness is the process of educating employees on data security best practices and strategies, such as how to identify potential threats and how to handle sensitive information responsibly. It also covers topics like password management, social media usage, and more. By teaching employees how to protect the company’s data and systems from malicious attacks, businesses can minimize their risk of falling victim to cybercrime.
Why Is Security Awareness Training Important?
With cybercrime increasing in both sophistication and frequency each year, all organizations need to be proactive about ensuring that their employees are properly educated about data security best practices. Even with a robust cybersecurity system in place, it will only be as effective as its weakest link—which, if they’re not current on their knowledge of data security, will certainly be your employees. There’s no shortage of ways a simple employee mistake can throw your entire company in jeopardy, which is why it’s crucial to understand the different types of threats, how they work, how to recognize them, and when to report them.
Training your employees on data security best practices helps to make sure your organization is taking the necessary steps towards keeping its information safe from malicious actors. In addition, it can help you avoid costly fines due to noncompliance with regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Finally, implementing an effective security awareness training program can help promote better business continuity. It accomplishes this by reducing downtime caused by malicious attacks like phishing or malware, or accidental errors made by employees who lack proper knowledge of data protection protocols.
How Do You Start Security Awareness Training?
When it comes to cybersecurity training for your employees, there are a few different approaches you can take. The most important first step when getting started is determining which topics need to be covered. These might include password management, phishing prevention, and mobile device security. Make selections based on the needs of your organization’s particular industry or sector. Once you know what needs to be taught, you will have a better idea of how long it should take for everyone in the organization to become adequately trained on these topics.
Next, consider whether or not you want to outsource this training for your organization or keep it internal. This decision will depend on factors like budget constraints or available resources within the company itself and may vary from case to case.
If you decide to bring in an outside vendor to provide cybersecurity tips for your employees, make sure they specialize in conducting courses tailored specifically for businesses like yours so they understand what kind of threats and compliance issues affect your sector specifically.
Finally, make sure that any training conducted is both interactive and engaging so that participants don’t lose interest quickly—doing so will increase effectiveness (monotonous lectures filled with technical lingo often won’t stick upon completion of coursework). Security training and threat awareness doesn’t have to be dry, it’s possible to structure your courses in an engaging way.
What Are the Most Important Cybersecurity Topics to Cover?
The most important cybersecurity topics that must be covered during any kind of security awareness training include:
- Password Management & Authentication Procedures
- Phishing Prevention & Email Safety
- Online Privacy & Web Browsing Safety
- Safe Social Media Use & Identity Theft Protection
- Mobile Device & Application Protection
- Network Access & Firewall Protection
- Secure Remote Access & Cloud Solutions
Be sure to also include other general tips regarding online safety measures. Depending upon your organization’s specific industry or sector, there may be additional guidelines applicable for employee education, but these serve as a good starting point.
What Are the Different Types of Phishing?
With phishing being one of the most common types of cyberthreats, you must get educated on the different types of phishing attacks. Here’s a brief overview so you can get a better understanding of phishing:
- Phishing: The most common attack where attackers send mass emails to a large number of users with a message designed to capture curiosity or fear and get them to click on something.
- Spear Phishing: Spear phishing is a more involved phishing attack that uses social engineering and research to create a very plausible message for one or a small number of individuals.
- Impersonation: In an impersonation, hackers research a company’s officers and send a targeted message seemingly from that leader requesting a specific action be taken.
- Zero-Day Attacks: In this attack, hackers exploit a software’s security loophole for which no patch has been released yet (or unpatched machines).
- Drive-By Hack Attacks: A drive-by attack uses automated software that booby-traps a website to deploy malicious code to any user accessing that site.
- Man-in-the-Middle Attack: In a MITM attack, an attacker secretly intercepts and relays messages between two parties who believe they are communicating directly with each other in order to control the conversation.
- Macro-Based Malware: This includes phishing, infected files on a USB stick, links in an email, and more that contains macros intended to run when opened.
- Crypto-Ransomware: This attack encrypts files on a computer and restricts access, then demands that the user pay a ransom to remove the restriction.
- Malvertising: This attack involves injecting malicious or malware-laden advertisements into legitimate online advertising networks and webpages.
- Bespoke Attacks: In this attack, hackers code malware specifically designed to exploit a specific security hole at a targeted company.
How Often Should Training Be Conducted?
When it comes down to the frequency at which trainings should occur, this largely depends upon two main factors:
- Organization Size: Larger companies may require more frequent refreshments simply due to the manpower involved.
- How Much Change Occurs Within Industry Standards: Some industries have new policies come into effect over time which require additional updates.
While there isn’t necessarily one right answer concerning timing intervals, it’s generally recommended to conduct cybersecurity training for employees once per year. To reiterate though, this depends upon scale/scope and could vary significantly from one company to another.
Can Training Be Outsourced?
Outsourcing your company’s cybersecurity training program is a popular option for companies that feel unequipped to handle training by themselves. Outsourcing gives business owners peace of mind that trained experts will take care of the job efficiently while updating material frequently enough to keep up with modern data threats.
Don’t Feel Comfortable Handling Training Alone? Consider Partnering With an Expert
As a leading managed service provider, 12 Points Technologies LLC offers cybersecurity solutions that protect your information systems. Our risk management services are built directly into your infrastructure and will keep your business protected.
General Data Security Tips for Employees
When it comes to easy-to-digest cybersecurity tips for your employees, the following are worth sharing:
- Use strong passwords and change them on a regular basis.
- Never open unknown emails or click on any suspicious links found within those emails.
- Don’t leave confidential information, such as passwords, in unprotected places.
- Utilize two-step verification processes for online accounts whenever possible.
- Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks for sensitive activities.
- Refrain from posting confidential information or passwords on social media accounts.
- Pay attention to emails from IT and other departments regarding updates or changes in security protocols.
- Ensure all devices used to access secure information are updated regularly with the latest security patches.
Upgrade Your Security With 12 Points Technologies, LLC
Security awareness training is an invaluable tool for businesses of all sizes. By providing employees with the education and resources they need to be informed on best security practices, you can ensure that your data remains secure and your business remains compliant with industry standards. At 12 Points Technologies, LLC, we understand the importance of cybersecurity and offer a comprehensive suite of customizable IT security services that allow businesses to protect their endpoints, prevent data breaches, maintain compliance, and more.
Our specialized security solutions are tailored to meet each client’s specific needs and budget. Our cybersecurity services include advanced threat protection, security assessments, penetration tests, network monitoring, and more. With our help, you can ensure that your business’s endpoints are secure from threats both internal and external. Contact us and we can discuss your cybersecurity needs.
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