Why investing in ongoing cybersecurity training is good business

Cybersecurity has had to evolve drastically over the past few decades as tools and methods used by hackers have gotten more and more sophisticated. Even the best cybersecurity strategy, however, isn’t foolproof without proper employee training.

Fraud Watch International states that 95% of breaches are due to human error or what is known as the “human factor.” Without preparation, awareness, and enforcement, the best laid security plan can fall flat, leaving you and your employees vulnerable to hacking.

Why are employees the weakest link in the security chain?

Employees, rather than computer systems, are the easiest to compromise of any business. This is even more so today with the proliferation of smart or IoT (Internet of Things) devices for personal and business-related purposes.

Individuals can easily be exploited through phishing, social engineering, and related efforts. These tactics are used to exploit human weaknesses and vulnerabilities by deceiving or misleading people.

One of the most popular tactics is display name spoofing attacks, where the cyber criminal changes the display name of the malicious emails sent to one the recipient may trust - often C-level executives for large organizations.

The result is blind clicks and downloads by employees thinking they are just following orders from their boss. Employees that lack training and awareness, therefore, must be a top concern.

What is cybersecurity training?

Cybersecurity training defines what is needed from each employee and increases readiness to face and block cyber attacks. Employees will be able to recognize and halt attacks before they cause damage. Having a good cybersecurity training program in place means you have:

• identified all requirements for training
• determined the best method for you and your employees
• set expectations at the beginning and followed through
• covered such topics as current threats and defensive procedures
• ensured that your employees know who to contact if a breach does occur
• looked for feedback and re-evaluated your program as needed
• repeated as necessary

Good cybersecurity training is repetitive, always up-to-date, and constantly tested.

Where can you start?

Begin by consulting with a reliable cybersecurity provider who will work with you to tailor a cybersecurity and employee training program to safeguard your data. Along with email encryption and inbound security, employee awareness is crucial to strengthening your security program as a whole.

Investing your time and effort from the beginning will help to turn the “human factor” from a weak link into a strong one.