Verizon’s 2018 Data Breach Investigations Report had some good news: 78% of office workers in the US didn’t click on a single phishing campaign the whole year. Still, almost one out of five breaches was due to employee error in 2018.
When it comes to your business’s cybersecurity, your employees need to appreciate how vital their role is in keeping your systems safe from cyberattacks and data theft. They should be invested in protecting your data; after all, your bottom line — and, ultimately, everyone’s income — will be affected should your company suffer a cyberattack.
Aside from investing in firewalls and antimalware programs, your company should also spend on cybersecurity training for your staff. Learn the best ways to improve your employees’ cybersecurity knowledge from IT experts.
Allow no exceptions to participation
Cybersecurity is everyone’s duty, from top management to frontliners. Everyone is responsible for creating and maintaining a corporate culture of cybersecurity. That’s because criminals will exploit anyone who is careless with his online habits or uses an electronic device with weak security protocols.
However, this will be difficult to achieve if certain individuals or groups are exempt from training. Cybersecurity can only be effective if everyone pursues best practices on a daily basis.
Communicate clearly to all stakeholders
Even before a training session begins, the value and purpose of cybersecurity education should be communicated to all stakeholders. This includes end users, a group often overlooked by most companies. Your end users must know how and why you’re putting safety protocols in place and their role in keeping your system safe. It is their data that you are safeguarding, after all.
Employee privacy is a priority
Most data privacy regulations focus on the safety of your client data. What’s often not mentioned is the data you collect from your own employees. Prioritize your employees’ privacy, and inform them that their own data may be unsafe even from an insider threat. Your staff members will appreciate your cybersecurity program if they see how relevant it is to them. This way, it’ll be easier for them to adhere to your security protocols.
Assess to establish your baseline vulnerability
Before training your employees, get a clear picture of how susceptible your organization is to cyberattacks, so it’ll be clearer what your goals are and how your progress will be measured. Assess your baseline scores on phishing susceptibility, malware infection rates, and the cybersecurity knowledge of your staff.
Make assessment and training an ongoing pursuit
Since social engineering schemes and malware are constantly evolving, cybersecurity assessment and training must remain a regular activity. It isn’t enough to simulate a phishing attack or test your employees’ cybersecurity knowledge once or twice a year. Frequent assessments and regular training are necessary for your staff to stay informed and develop new skills to counter such threats.
Make a clear link between assessment and training
The combination of assessment and training becomes more effective if the link between the two is clearly established. A simulated phishing attack jolts employees into taking their training seriously. Don’t wait for several months to follow up the simulation with an anti-phishing training program. Assessment followed immediately by training is a one-two punch guaranteed to knock some lessons into your employees’ heads.
Motivate end users with rewards
Nothing generates greater engagement and results than offering rewards and positive reinforcements to end users. This raises their interest and participation and contributes to creating a culture of cybersecurity accountability.
Track and report meaningful data
Choose training programs with tracking and reporting capabilities. They do more than just churn out data; they produce value-added data that serves as actionable business intelligence as well.
Create cybersecurity policies for remote work and business travel
With remote work on the rise, it is imperative that you have company guidelines on how employees can access your corporate network during remote work or when traveling. Otherwise, you may end up with employees connecting to unsecured public Wi-Fi and putting your network at risk.
Keeping your manufacturing firm safe from attacks entails cybersecurity training hand in hand with the latest tools. Are you in or near Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, or Riverside? Then let our experts at Zeta Sky take care of your cybersecurity needs. We’ll set up automated, hassle-free cybersecurity solutions especially for you. We can also provide regular updates, 24/7 assistance, managed IT services, and more. Get in touch with us today.
Chapter 8: Protecting your data with a phishing test
Studies have shown that a phishing test is more effective than awareness campaigns where employees merely read about phishing and its effects.
