What is Cyber Security Awareness?
Cyber security awareness is the understanding and practice of recognising, preventing, and responding to cyber threats. Cyber security awareness involves educating individuals and organisations about the various types of cyber-attacks, such as phishing, malware, and social engineering.
By promoting safe online behaviours, cyber security awareness assists in mitigating risks and protecting sensitive data and information. It also helps organisations stay informed about the latest security trends and vulnerabilities.
Cyber Security Awareness Training
Cyber security awareness empowers both employees and their organisations to effectively identify and prevent potential cyber-attacks. Therefore, it is important for organisations to provide cyber security awareness training to help employees make the distinction between a potential threat and a benign email.
Cyber security awareness training aims to build a culture of security within an organisation by equipping its staff with the knowledge to protect themselves and the business’s assets. Training should be provided regularly to keep staff up to date on the latest evolving threats and techniques.
Types of Cyber Security Awareness Training for Employees
Threat actors can exploit a wide range of potential vulnerabilities within an organisation, especially if the employees are not aware of what a threat might look like. Here is a selection of cyber security awareness training programs for employees.
Email security
Email is a top choice for threat actors looking to expose a vulnerability. Email attacks like phishing and ransomware can provide cybercriminals with access to all sorts of sensitive data and systems. Email training empowers employees to recognise unsafe links and attachments in emails and avoid malicious email attacks.
Phishing and social engineering
Phishing and social engineering attacks exploit human behaviour and emotions to influence targets to divulge sensitive information such as passwords. These are some of the most common types of attacks as they require little technical skills beyond the ability to write an email or make a phone call. However, with the proper training, employees can spot warning signs of phishing attempts to prevent any breaches.
Ransomware and malware
Ransomware and malware are often included in email attachments or links. When an employee downloads the attachment or clicks the link, this malicious software enters the organisation’s network, typically wreaking havoc on internal systems. Training can help employees identify potentially malicious items and avoid and report them.
Browser security
Browser security training empowers employees with the best practices for using the internet safely, including browser security tips, understanding different browser threats, and how cybercriminals can leverage popular websites like social media to launch attacks.
Information security
Information security training provides employees with the company’s policies and procedures for handling, storing, and sharing internal data. Data is often categorised as public, confidential, or highly confidential. These categorisations can determine how the data is handled, who is allowed to access it, and how they can share that data with necessary stakeholders.
Remote work protocol
As remote work becomes more normal than not, employees will continue to need access to organisational systems and networks remotely. Remote work protocol training teaches employees how to avoid connecting via an unprotected public network, not using personal devices, and employing VPNs for extra security.
Removable media security
Removable media, such as a USB stick, is often the means by which a threat actor might launch an attack. As such, removable media security training shows employees how to avoid plugging anything into their devices that might result in malware or other threats.
Password security
Despite our best efforts, cybercriminals gain access to private passwords every day. As such, password security training is integral to protecting a business’s network and IT systems. This includes creating password policies that require passwords to be updated regularly, prohibit the repetition of passwords, and require passwords to meet certain requirements, such as length and uniqueness.
Incident response
Your organisation may have a robust incident response plan in place. However, if your employees are not well-versed in their role in that plan, it can all be for naught. Incident response training teaches employees how to respond when an event occurs. This can help prevent the spread of harmful programs and mitigate damage.
Contact us today for more information on securing your IT systems and networks.