The Role of Employee Training in Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity threats have become a growing concern in our personal and professional lives. Hardly anyone hasn't experienced some type of cybersecurity threat, especially in the business environment. With the rise of remote work, these risks have only increased.
While many organizations have realized the benefits of investing in cybersecurity technologies such as bot detection or device fingerprinting, they are missing an essential element. Employee training remains a critical component of any comprehensive cybersecurity strategy.
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According to the research, one of the biggest risk factors are your employees, as 95% of cybersecurity incidents result from human error. Due to their trusting nature and eagerness to help, they are often the weakest link in the chain, and companies must take the proper steps to stop it from affecting their business operations.
This is why providing comprehensive cybersecurity training to your employees is essential to ensure they are ready to deal with any cybersecurity threat.
Often businesses shy away from cybersecurity as they consider the process too overwhelming, but that is no longer an option in this time and age.
You need to protect your business, and increasing the cybersecurity awareness of your employees is the first step you need to take.
A comprehensive training program needs to be able to empower your employees to deal with the different types of cybersecurity risks they are most likely to encounter.
Sadly, even today, password security still remains one of the most common cybersecurity risks. According to the research conducted by ExpressVPN, 43% of people believe their loved ones could guess their online passwords.
This is not that surprising considering that year after year, "123456" remains the most-used password across the world. Comprehensive cybersecurity training should cover the importance of creating unique and complex passwords, but also how to store them securely.
Additionally, you should introduce a password policy that requires your employees to change their passwords regularly.
Photo: Unsplash
With the rise of remote work, employees are starting to use devices other than their official work computers. From personal computers to smartphones and tablets, all these devices pose an additional risk for your business.
Your employees need to be aware of the steps they can take to protect their devices, such as using encryption and security tools and only accessing secure Wi-Fi networks or even why they should never leave their devices unattended.
Social engineering attacks, especially phishing, are among the most common tactics cybercriminals use to access sensitive data. For example, 50% of Internet users receive at least one phishing email daily, with one in 25 clicking on such emails, putting their sensitive data in danger.
This can be prevented by proper training. Your employees should know how to identify phishing emails and other social engineering tactics and what steps to take.
Basic internet security tips such as not clicking on suspicious links or attachments or never sharing sensitive information can go a long way in preventing these types of attacks.
Your employees handle sensitive data daily, and it is essential they know how to protect it. While you might already have data protection policies and procedures, that might not be enough.
Your employees need to be instructed on sensitive data within your business, how to handle it and most importantly, how to encrypt it when sharing it over the internet or storing it on a device.
Employees are often the first point of contact with cybersecurity threats, making them the first line of defense against cyber attacks. After all, they are the ones who receive emails and phone calls on company devices while dealing with sensitive data daily.
This is why increasing their cybersecurity awareness should be your priority. Unfortunately, this is yet to be implemented in many companies, which is why their employees still lack the knowledge and skills needed to identify, react accordingly and ultimately prevent cybersecurity threats.
By implementing cybersecurity training, companies can reduce cybersecurity risks by up to 70%, with even the least effective training programmes having a 7-fold return on investment.
The most important element of any successful training is its continuity. By providing regular refresher courses and updates, you will ensure they maintain good cybersecurity habits while staying up-to-date with the latest cybersecurity trends.
You can determine if there are any new potential security risks or need for additional training by monitoring their performance. This will allow you to take action before anything happens.
In today's digital age, cybersecurity threats pose a constant danger for businesses of all sizes. They need to start taking proactive measures to stay safe, and employee training will play a crucial role in this.
By providing a comprehensive cybersecurity training program, you can ensure your employees have all the knowledge and tools needed to deal with any cyber danger that might come their way.
This will empower your employees to take control of their online security and significantly minimize the risks to your business.
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