Everyone knows cyber security is a challenge. But staying secure in an increasingly digital world isn’t just about keeping viruses away and firewalls tight. It’s also about keeping your team aware of the risks and threats they might face online so they can take action to protect themselves and the company. That’s why cyber security awareness training is such an essential part of any organization’s cyber security strategy. It helps your team understand how big a threat these attacks are, how likely they are to target them personally or as part of the company, and what actions they can take to stay safe from potential hackers, malware and other online threats.
What is Cyber Security Awareness Training?
Cyber security awareness training is the process of actively educating your team or employees about the risks and threats they could face online so they can take action to protect themselves and the company. It’s part of an organization’s cyber security strategy and should be considered essential in any business where employees regularly use the internet. It’s important to understand that this isn’t just about installing antivirus software on all your computers and devices to stop viruses from spreading. It’s also about protecting your team from other online threats, like hackers, phishing attempts, and other malicious software. Cyber security awareness training can be delivered in a number of ways, depending on your budget, audience, and the type of information you want to share.
Why is Cyber Security Awareness Training Important?
The threat level of cyber attacks has increased by 900% in the last 12 months. We are now facing more than ever before. Cyber attacks could cost small and medium businesses $9 billion every year. Cyber security defense training will help eliminate this cost and can be the difference between success and failure for your business. Organizations will see an increase in productivity and a decrease in turnover when employees feel safe and secure. This is especially the case when you have the right team members who feel prepared and empowered to keep themselves, and ultimately, the entire organization, secure online.
The Importance of a Solid Culture of Security
The very first step in creating a culture of security is to ensure your employees feel comfortable and empowered to speak up if they have concerns. If they feel they can’t report something or don’t understand why you’re asking them to do something a certain way, they’re going to feel frustrated about the work they’re doing — and that’s never good for productivity. That’s why it’s essential to set clear policies from the outset and make sure your employees are aware of them. This will help them to recognize potential cyber threats and know how to report them appropriately. It’ll also give them a sense of security and make them feel like their voice matters.
Finding the Right People for Your Team
One of the best ways to protect your company against cyber threats is to hire the right people in the first place. When you’re looking at candidates, it’s essential to ask specific questions about their internet usage and their cyber security practices. This will help you to identify potential weaknesses in their approach to online safety and find ways to support them and keep them safe. If you’re hiring remotely workers, you’ll need to take extra care during the screening process. Make sure you’re using an effective screening tool to verify the identity and employment history of each potential hire.
Defining Objectives: What Do You Want to Teach?
Before you dive into your cyber security awareness training, it’s important to define your objectives. What do you want your audience to walk away with? What do they need to know or do differently after the training is over? Start with the basics — what exactly is a computer virus? How does it spread? What can you do to protect your devices? Then, move on to broader topics like how identity theft happens and what you can do to minimize your risk of being hacked. You’ll want to make sure your training is tailored to your audience. Younger employees with limited experience online may have different concerns than more seasoned veterans. Make sure you’re addressing everyone’s questions and concerns.
Decide on the Best Methods: Video, Games or Both?
You can choose from a range of cyber security awareness training methods, from videos, games, or live training sessions. Video is a great choice for large audiences, especially if you have multiple employees or offices you need to reach. There are plenty of online resources to help you create your own videos. You can also use existing videos from cybersecurity experts to supplement your curriculum. Video streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime have released original series that tackle some of the most common cyber threats. There are also plenty of TED talks and YouTube videos on the topic. Live training sessions are great when you want to focus on specific threats or weak points in your employees’ cyber security practices. You may also want to use them to give feedback on how employees can improve their practices to be more secure.
Collision Detection: Don’t Just Tell, Show!
Employees will be most successful in their cyber security practices if they can see how they impact their day-to-day lives. When you’re creating your cyber security awareness training, try to use real-life examples so your audience can visualize the threats they could face. For example, you may want to use screenshots of phishing emails employees have been sent in the past so they can see how easy it is for scammers to impersonate their banks or other trusted organizations. This approach will help employees understand the threats they face and know how to avoid them.
Bottom line
Cyber security awareness training is one of the most important elements of an organization’s cyber security strategy. It’s essential for employees to know what threats they face and what they can do to protect themselves. With the right training, you’ll be able to create a culture of security, empower your employees, and protect your organization from cyber threats. Now that you know the importance of cyber security awareness training and how it can benefit your organization, it’s time to get started.
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