Cybersecurity is not something the average employee spends a lot of time thinking about. It is a complex concept and most people think that with a firewall and an ad blocker, they are protected. The problem is that in this day and age, hackers are just as likely to target employees as they are to try hacking the system directly.
Cybersecurity is not something the average employee spends a lot of time thinking about. It is a complex concept and most people think that with a firewall and an ad blocker, they are protected. The problem is that in this day and age, hackers are just as likely to target employees as they are to try hacking the system directly.
This makes cybersecurity awareness training for employees more important than ever before. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean you need to assign every employee an Importance of cybersecurity awareness essay to do over the weekend and call it good. Effective employee training and awareness come from consistency. Cyber threats are always evolving and methods are becoming more advanced.
Companies need to do their best to stay ahead of the curve. Utilizing a service like Eset Cybersecurity Awareness Training gives employees the freedom to train whenever, wherever, and as often as they need to. The needs of an organization determine the frequency of training needed, so there is no singular cybersecurity training plan template that functions as a one size fits all solution.
Typically, an annual training program is sufficient for keeping up with current cybersecurity best practices. If an organization handles a significant amount of customer data, however, more frequent training may be necessary. Data breaches are a serious problem when it comes to cybersecurity as hackers often extract data like credit card information, social security numbers, and other personal identifying information to sell on the dark web.
This article will go over the importance of regular awareness training, how to implement such training, and how to go about finding ways to adequately train your employees. The best type of defense in cybersecurity is prevention, and there is no better way to prevent an attack than to get all of your employees on the same page.
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Cybersecurity Awareness
Cybersecurity is a difficult concept for many to fully grasp. As stated above, most people will understand why they may need a firewall or ad-blocking apps on their computers, but general knowledge usually doesn’t extend much further than that. In fact, many people don’t even know many of the most frequent types of cyberattacks in use today. Common attacks include:
- Ransomware: Hackers will encrypt sensitive information on an organization’s network and offer to unlock the files in exchange for a large ransom.
- Phishing, Vishing, and Smishing: A hacker will pose as a trusted source or figure of authority in an attempt to get an individual’s personal information or login credentials to a specific system they want access to.
- Social Engineering: Any attack that focuses on human error or kindness. People are often the weakest point in any security strategy, thus highlighting the importance of regular cybersecurity awareness training across all departments.
Many other types of attacks exist and are used often. Trava offers a series of informative articles that can offer much more insight into the types of threats that can be avoided by implementing training on cybersecurity awareness for employees.
The foundation of cybersecurity awareness training is, once again, consistency. Although cybersecurity companies have come a long way in the early identification of threats, an organization’s staff needs to be aware of the early warning signs that they are under attack or are particularly vulnerable.
Powerpoint (PPT) presentations are a simple way to introduce the topic to a large group of people. While there are cybersecurity awareness PPT examples online, it can be far more valuable to create one of your own. This way, you can focus on the threats that are more specific to your own organization rather than similar companies in the industry. In many cases though, a cybersecurity awareness training PPT is just the first step.
What Is The Importance Of Security Awareness Training
So, you may be asking yourself, “What is the importance of security awareness training?” Due to the constantly changing methods hackers typically employ, the importance comes from the need to keep up with trends. Virtually every business in 2022 utilizes some form of technology to handle vital operations. This means virtually every organization is vulnerable in one way or another.
One specific type of attack that can truly highlight the importance of cybersecurity awareness training for employees is social engineering. Social engineering refers to attacks that target individuals within an organization to gain access to the network. The best defense is knowledge. So keeping your staff–in every department–aware of the potential threat to their personal information is a great place to start when it comes to employee security training.
Even the best security strategy in the world can be breached if an employee is tricked into giving out their credentials to the wrong person. This is how many of the social engineering attacks take place. They come in familiar forms, like emails from company management or trusted third parties under similar but phony addresses, or even physical methods like tailgating.
Tailgating occurs when a hacker waits outside a business–oftentimes with an armful of “deliveries” so that when an employee comes along they are more likely to hold a door open for them. They can then gain direct access to a network from the inside.
Many of these methods can be outlined in a security awareness training PDF one could find online, but it may be hundreds of pages long, burying the information you need in technical jargon you may not understand. Trava offers a 3-part article detailing some of the most common social engineering attacks businesses are at risk of today.
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Training Employees On Cybersecurity
Now that you have a handle on why cybersecurity awareness training for employees is important, it is time to understand how you can do this. There are plenty of online resources that do a good job of laying out what kind of threats your employees need to be aware of. The problem lies in customizing a training program that fits your business specifically.
As mentioned earlier in the article, cybersecurity awareness training for employees PPT presentations are a good place to start, but there should be more to it than that. Consider implementing a PPT to get the general ideas out to your staff, followed by an individual training that involves quizzes and questionnaires to gauge employee retention of the subject.
Cybersecurity training can be pretty dry for people unfamiliar or uninterested in the cybersecurity landscape. Training employees on cybersecurity might not always be the most exciting task to require of your staff, but it can save a company millions of dollars in the long run.
Depending on the size of your company, it may be appropriate to consider programs that offer cybersecurity awareness training, free of charge. Free and low-cost training can be found on government sites like NIST.gov. Other options include hiring a security team to come in and analyze your company’s security and run staff through a customized training program.
Online Cybersecurity Awareness Training For Employees
Some companies shy away from security training because they may think it is too expensive. In reality, cybersecurity awareness training for employees cost is relatively low. In comparison to the average cost of a data breach in 2021, the cost for employee training is virtually nothing. Even still, there are free cybersecurity awareness training materials linked above.
Beyond even that, online cybersecurity awareness training for employees can be a good way to get the ball rolling. Again, it is important to remember that the real benefits of cyber awareness training come from consistency. This sentiment can be found in any cybersecurity awareness training for employees PDF.
Online programs may also start with a cybersecurity awareness training for employees PPT to get all employees on the same page. This kind of overview can help those unfamiliar with the topic understand what they are up against. Online training will often then go into a series of quizzes or questionnaires to better retain the information they learned.
Online programs also offer easy-to-schedule training programs that can help an organization meet and maintain compliance regulations. Compliance regulations and certifications can help prove to customers and any potential partner companies that you are dedicated to keeping security at the forefront of your priorities. When a company can prove that they keep information secure, they often open itself up to new business opportunities.
Online programs, like Eset offer both free and paid programs to fit any business’ needs. Finding out what your company needs can be a tricky subject on its own. This is why utilizing services like Trava can help identify weaknesses in a company’s cybersecurity and any potential risks it may be vulnerable to.
Trava Security’s risk assessment can pinpoint where your company needs help in its security. They also offer insights that can help you stay on top of security updates, including employee cybersecurity awareness training. Contact Trava today to schedule a demo.