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IBM reported that human error is the main cause of 95% of cybersecurity breaches. With the rise of working from home decreasing companies’ visibility across the full IT infrastructure and decreasing the ability to enforce proper cybersecurity training, means this number has the potential to grow.
Accompanying the uncertain new work environment is the development of modern, and more intellectual cyberattacks, that traditional user awareness training may not cover, or may not be able to train employees how to effectively identify and report.
What is cybersecurity awareness training?
Cybersecurity awareness training is an educational program focused on teaching people about digital security risks and how to protect against them.
The purpose of such training is to increase awareness of cyber threats and to arm employees or individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to prevent a cyber attack from occurring.
Cybersecurity training can involve anything from basic online safety tips to more advanced topics, such as IT security policies and procedures.
By investing in cybersecurity training, individuals and businesses can protect themselves from the growing number of cyber threats and ensure they are maintaining the highest level of digital security.
Why you should train your employees on cybersecurity awareness?
Here are six reasons why you should focus on cybersecurity training for your employees:
1. Increased Awareness
Training your employees on cybersecurity trends and awareness is important because it helps to increase their knowledge of the potential risks associated with using technology.
By providing them with information about the latest cyber threats, they will be better equipped to recognise and respond to suspicious activity.
Additionally, training can help to raise awareness of the importance of following security best practices, such as creating strong passwords and avoiding phishing scams.
2. Improved Security Practices
Cybersecurity training can also help to ensure that your employees are following proper security protocols when using technology.
For example, they can learn how to identify and avoid malicious links, as well as how to securely store confidential data.
Training can also provide information about how to properly use encryption software and other tools that can help protect your organisation’s data from being accessed by unauthorised users.
3. Reduced Risk of Data Breaches
By providing employees with cybersecurity training, you can reduce the risk of a data breach occurring within your organisation.
Training helps employees understand the importance of protecting sensitive data and encourages them to follow security best practices when using technology.
This can help prevent hackers from gaining access to confidential information or compromising your system in any way.
4. Increased Productivity
Cybersecurity training can also increase employee productivity by reducing the amount of time spent dealing with security issues or responding to data breaches.
When employees are aware of the potential risks associated with using technology, they are more likely to take proactive measures that will help protect their work environment from cyber threats.
This can lead to increased efficiency and improved performance overall.
5. Enhanced Reputation
Training your employees on cybersecurity awareness can also enhance your organisation’s reputation in the eyes of customers and other stakeholders by demonstrating a commitment to protecting customer data and ensuring its safety against cyber threats.
Customers want assurance that their personal information will be kept secure, so having an effective cybersecurity program in place is essential for maintaining trust in today’s digital world.
6. Improved Employee Morale
Finally, providing cybersecurity training for your employees is beneficial because it shows them that you value their safety and wellbeing regarding technology use at work.
By equipping them with knowledge about how they can protect themselves online, you are showing them that you care about their safety and security while working remotely or on-site in the office environment.
Key topics to include in your cybersecurity awareness training
Below are the important topics which should be included in your cyber security training module.
1. Password hygiene
Poor password hygiene is like handing the key to your company’s IT infrastructure over to a cybercriminal.
Poor password hygiene includes using a weak and easily guessable password, using the same password across multiple devices and tools, keeping the same passwords for extended periods, not using multifactor authentication, and storing passwords in an unsecured location.
If a bad actor gained access to an employee’s email account using a weak password, and the employee does not have multi-factor authentication set up across other tools, then the bad actor can reset passwords to other tools, granting them access to a companies data and information.
Furthermore, if a device is lost or stolen and is not password protected, then a bad actor will have access to all information stored on that device, and once again, may be able to gain access to corporate email accounts as well as company data and information.
2. Software updates
Keeping your devices up to date with software updates is imperative to ensure any bugs have been removed, and any vulnerabilities in the security have been repaired.
Hackers can utilise ‘security holes’ by creating code that exploits the specific vulnerabilities using malware.
This type of malware can infect your device without any action from the user and can simply be triggered by visiting an insecure website or opening a compromised message.
If your device is infected, it may not just be you that is a victim. Your device could pass the virus onto friends, family and colleagues through emails, files transfers and can even infect the companies’ network.
3. Identify suspicious emails, links, and webpages
Training your employees on how to confidently check and identify if emails, links, or insecure webpages potentially have malicious content attached, will help them confidently navigate through the cyber landscape, and be able to make decisions based on training and knowledge that will help prevent and reduce risk of cyber breaches and attacks.
4. Phishing and Social Engineering Awareness
Social engineering is the use of deception to manipulate individuals into sharing confidential or sensitive data that can then be used for fraudulent purposes. It was reported that 66% of cyberattacks use some form of social engineering.
Social engineering includes phishing, smishing, vishing, baiting, whaling, spearfishing, and tailgating.
Check out our related blogs at the bottom of the page to learn more about social engineering and phishing. It has been reported that 90% of cybersecurity breaches come from some form of a phishing attack.
Phishing attacks are a form of fraudulent behaviour, where a bad actor impersonates a known sender, or legitimate brand to gather personal information, data, or login information.
Phishing is becoming dangerous for multiple reasons. First and foremost, no security software can block 100% of phishing attacks, specifically regarding email.
Phishing attacks are evolving and becoming more sophisticated which means more malicious emails are slipping through cyber defences.
Furthermore, email addresses can be ‘spoofed’ which means the email can appear to be coming from a trusted source, even when it's not.
For example:
This can be done in two ways; first, the bad actor can change the display name, so it appears as if you’re receiving an email from microsoftteams@microsoft.com.
However when you hover over the ‘from’ address, it will reveal a random and unrelated email address such as 123@hotmail.com.
Secondly, bad actors can set up an email address that is almost identical to the legitimate email address. For example, microsoftteams@microsoft.co.
5. Secure remote working
Due to the covid-19 pandemic, more people than ever are working from home, or hybrid working.
Furthermore, due to the unplanned nature, very few proper IT security practices have been put into place, therefore possibly exposing more ‘security holes’ than usual.
Employees using their personal devices to access company data, employees using company devices to access unauthorised and unsecured website sites and connecting to public networks are all ways employees could be opening the business up to possible cyber breaches and attacks.
6. Compliance training
Compliance training ensures that all staff are up to date, and knowledgeable about company policies, rules, regulations, and legal requirements that will affect their everyday role.
Not being compliant with the industry standards can result in fines, damage to your company’s reputation, loss of customers, possible legal consequences, as well as an increase of risk of possible cyberattacks.
How to train your employees on cybersecurity
Here are seven important points to include in cybersecurity awareness training for your employees:
1. Introduce Cybersecurity Basics
It is important to introduce employees to the basics of cybersecurity. This should include a discussion on the types of cyber threats, such as malware, phishing emails, and ransomware.
Employees should also be taught about the importance of data security and how to protect confidential information.
Additionally, they should be informed about the consequences of not following cybersecurity protocols, such as data breaches and financial losses.
2. Educate About Password Security
Passwords are one of the most important aspects of cybersecurity and it is essential that employees understand how to create strong passwords and keep them secure.
They should be taught about password best practices, such as using a combination of upper-case letters, lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols in their passwords; avoiding words or phrases that can easily be guessed; and not reusing passwords across multiple accounts.
3. Explain How to Recognise Phishing Emails
Phishing emails are a common type of cyber attack that use deceptive messages to gain access to confidential information or install malicious software on computers.
It is important for employees to understand what phishing emails look like and how to recognise them so they can avoid falling victim to these attacks.
This includes teaching them how to identify suspicious links or attachments in emails as well as warning signs such as poor grammar or spelling errors in messages from unknown senders.
4. Provide Tips for Safe Browsing Habits
Employees should also be taught safe browsing habits that will help protect them from online threats while they are using the internet for work purposes.
This includes tips such as only visiting websites with valid SSL certificates; avoiding clicking on suspicious links or downloading files from untrusted sources; and installing antivirus software on their computers if it is not already present.
5. Demonstrate How to Spot Suspicious Activity
It is important for employees to understand how to spot suspicious activity on their computers or networks so they can act quickly if needed.
This could include teaching them how to detect unusual network traffic or changes in system performance that could indicate an attack is underway, as well as how to respond if they do notice any signs of suspicious activity on their systems.
6. Explain the Consequences of Not Following Protocols
In addition to providing training on cybersecurity best practices, it is also important for employers to explain the consequences of not following protocols when it comes to keeping company data secure.
This could include outlining potential legal penalties for failing to comply with industry regulations, discussing the financial repercussions associated with data breaches, or informing employees about potential disciplinary action that could result from negligence when it comes to protecting confidential information.
7. Create A Culture of Cybersecurity Awareness
Finally, employers should strive to create a culture of cybersecurity awareness within their organisation by emphasizing the importance of protecting company data through regular communication with staff members.
This could include sending out reminders about best practices, holding regular training sessions, or offering rewards for employees who demonstrate good cyber hygiene habits.
By taking steps like these, employers can ensure that their staff members remain vigilant when it comes to safeguarding sensitive information.
Conclusion
Cybersecurity training should be an ongoing process to help keep employees up to date with the latest information and trends.
Whether is a monthly newsletter, or regular posts on an internal forum, keeping cybersecurity on the front of your employees’ minds will help strengthen the company’s first line of defence against cybercriminals.
AZTech Cybersecurity Awareness Training
AZTech IT's User Awareness Training helps educate your users on cyber threats, suspicious activity, and how to stay safe online.
With 90% of security breaches occurring due to human error, user awareness training is key in keeping your organisation protected against cybercrime.
According to ID Agent, 92.4% of malware is delivered via email. Phishing attacks are becoming more sophisticated and highly targeted, making them harder to detect.
If your users don't know the warning signs, they won't know they're being tricked into handing over private business data - but we can help.
