Cyberthreats are serious headaches affecting most companies these days. Even financially prosperous and technically advanced organizations have fallen victim to cyber-attacks at one point or another. And for your business to stand a chance against those threats and attacks, you must invest in cybersecurity.
However, procuring and developing all the necessary tools and software to secure your company against cyberthreats may take some time and can leave you susceptible to attacks. Because of that, you should fortify your first line of defense—your employees and coworkers—by making them aware of cyber issues and vulnerabilities.
And there’s no better way of making employees informed than training. Here are some tips you could consider for a successful workplace cybersecurity training:
1. Know That This Isn’t A One Time Thing
Before anything else, you and your coworkers should understand that all counter policies, methodologies, and measures under cybersecurity are constantly changing and evolving. After all, new threats are developed all the time, and countermeasures against them are made after they already caused damage to your workplace or other organizations.
Because of that, you should provide training to your people at least once a month to keep them constantly updated regarding new threats that have been discovered.
Also, if your team comes upon a new threat, don’t wait for the next training session. Immediately disseminate the information to your organization. This way, you can keep your staff vigilant and aware.
2. Make Training Compulsory
Cyber-attacks are like fire. Everyone must be prepared; otherwise, any weak link could cost the entire company dearly. So, just as it would be pointless to teach fire safety to a few, it would be a waste of time and resources to teach cybersecurity awareness to a handful. For the training to be a success, it must be mandatory for everyone.
Every employee in the company must be knowledgeable about any possible cyber threat to the organization. As long as any staff member uses the computer, they need to be well trained and taught about the IT procedures and policies in the organization. If you want to find out more about the different forms of training, you can learn more here.
3. Drills
Cyberattacks are like thieves in the night. Hackers can attack your business when you least expect it. To gauge how your company is prepared against sudden attacks, simulate real attacks through drills.
These drills can give your staff the exposure and experience they need to deal with real situations of cyberattacks. You can start with simulating phishing attacks, which is one of the most basic and common attacks most people are vulnerable to. With this kind of drill, you can instantly assess which of your coworkers are at risk of being victimized. The drill could also shed invaluable information regarding:
- Staff members that need additional training.
- Departments that lack awareness.
- Cybersecurity areas that may need improvement.
4. Include Cybersecurity Training During On-boarding
When a new employee joins your team, it’s important to include cybersecurity awareness when you orient them. Training them from the get-go could help them better understand its importance.
You can also get them to join staff briefings and regular cybersecurity meetings. Briefing them as soon as possible allows them to know how crucial cybersecurity awareness is to your company.
5. Don’t Bore Trainees And The Training Shouldn’t Disrupt Business Operations
Just like all other types of workplace training, you need to develop a training plan that would be fun and flexible for your employees. After all, who wants to get bored to death by training.
For example, gamifying the training could make it enjoyable for your team members. Make the learning process a quest for knowledge, through which they could score points.
Also, it shouldn’t disrupt your operations; otherwise, it can hurt your business. Make sure to schedule the training sessions when business activity is slow or during downtimes.
Conclusion
Aside from training, having clear communication channels and regular briefings will help remind employees of the need to take IT procedures and security seriously. With continuous structured training, they can become constantly well informed about the new trends in cyber threats and security.
No company is completely immune to cyber threats. Despite the automated measures you may put in place, you’re never completely safe. Your best chance of immunity could be your employees. They’re your first line of defense in case of any threat. Therefore, they must be properly trained.
Every day is a fight against cyberthreats. Try out these tips to ensure that your workplace is well protected against any attacks. Also, if you believe that you’re currently being targeted right now, don’t hesitate to get the help of experts.