Research suggests that human error is involved in around 90% of security breaches. Yes, as astonishing as that may seem, the research done by Stanford University found that approximately 90% of all data breaches are caused by an employee’s mistake. This means that many cyber security problems could have been prevented if that team had taken proper security awareness training.
That’s why security training is incredibly important in today’s digital world. As cyber security threats are evolving and becoming more sophisticated each day, your team is often the first line of defense against them. This training can help employees understand the risks and potential consequences of cyber attacks. It also teaches your team the best practices for protecting sensitive information and systems.
More than that, when security awareness training is done correctly it can help your team identify and report suspicious activity first, which can be of great help to prevent or mitigate the impact of a potential breach. Overall, security training is a crucial aspect of any business cyber security strategy.
That’s what we are going to discuss in the next article, but first, let’s see what cyber security training actually is.
What is security awareness training?
Security awareness training is a type of education provided by IT and security professionals to users and employees with the sole purpose to prevent and mitigate cyber security risks, threats, and best practices.
These are educational programs that have to raise awareness among employees and also help them understand the importance of cyber security and how they can protect a business’s assets. In other words, these programs need to make users and employees aware of their huge role in combating information security breaches.
Typically, this training covers topics such as password management, phishing awareness, social engineering, data protection, network security, and incident response. It can also include hands-on exercises or simulations that can help employees recognize and respond to potential threats. The training can be delivered through different methods, such as e-learning modules, classroom training, videos, or interactive workshops.
So, effective security awareness training will help your team understand how cyber security works, and the risks that come with certain actions, for example, spotting cyber attacks on email and the web.
The importance of security awareness training for employees
As we already pointed out, cyber security awareness is crucial for employees as they are often your first line of defense against cyber threats. Often hackers will use techniques to trick employees into giving up sensitive information or downloading malware onto their devices. Without this cyber security training, your team, without knowing, can put your business at huge risk.
That’s why the ultimate goal of such training is to help your staff become more aware and proactive about security and have the know-how of protecting it against cyber threats. With the right knowledge and skills, employees can identify and respond to security risks, and your business can strengthen its overall security strategy and reduce the risk of cyber attacks.
Here are some of the main reasons cyber security awareness training is so important.
It protects your sensitive data
When your team is aware of cyber security risks and knows how to identify the threats, they are also more likely to take steps to protect sensitive data and prevent data breaches.
It helps your business stay compliant with security regulations
If you are required to provide security training to stay compliant with regulations and standards, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), ISO 27001, PCI DSS, SOC, etc. With regular training, your business can meet these requirements and avoid potential fines or penalties.
It reduces the risks and helps identify threats faster
Well-trained employees can identify potential threats such as phishing emails, suspicious website links, or social engineering scams, and avoid potential security threats, reducing the risk of data breaches, malware infections, and other cyber incidents.
It establishes a culture of security
By having a security-conscious culture in the working place you can make sure your employees know the impacts of their actions and understand the importance of protecting your business data and systems.
It’s a cost-effective prevention method
Having security awareness programs should cost you less than the consequences of a security breach. With only a small investment in training, you can prevent significant financial and brand reputation damage.
It helps you to adapt faster to new threats
As you may know, cyber attacks are constantly evolving, and new easy to infiltrate your business data appear every day. With the help of security awareness training, your employees can stay up-to-date on the latest risks and best practices for preventing them.
It helps with brand reputation management
Brand image is highly important, and cyber security breaches can do a lot of damage to your business reputation. If your employees are trained in cyber security, they can be of great help, preventing incidents from happening and minimizing the impact if they do occur.
Overall, security awareness training is critical to your business cyber security strategy. By investing in cyber security training and awareness for employees, you can reduce the risk of cyber attacks and protect your sensitive data and systems.
How a cyber security strategy can help your business
How often should you conduct security awareness training?
Well, that actually depends on your business size, industry, and level of risk. Generally, we recommend providing security awareness training at least once a year or every time you adopt a new cyber security strategy.
Data shows that if a security awareness program is done infrequently and takes too much of their time, then your team is far less likely to retain that information. Some cyber security training programs take hours of an employee’s time which often leads to them not actually paying attention and simply going through the lessons or videos just to have them off their to-do list.
So, make sure you choose a training program that is suited for your team and business. The point is to remind your employees of cyber security best practices and also let them know of any new threats or vulnerabilities that may have appeared since the last time they had a training session.
More than that, you should provide ongoing training and awareness notifications throughout the year to keep cybersecurity top of mind for your team. This can include regular security reminders, phishing simulations, and other forms of communication to make them aware of how important cyber security is.
Ultimately, your goal should be to create a culture of security awareness, one where your team is vigilant and proactive in protecting the business data and assets.
