The Importance of Regular Cybersecurity Training for Employees

As technology evolves, so do threats that aim to steal information from you. As a business, investing in proper security measures is one thing, but your employees should also be well- versed in threats so they can recognise them before they become a problem. Security awareness is now a necessity, especially at a time when most employees work remotely and lack the proper network infrastructure to protect them from online threats, which can be scary, especially if they’re dealing with confidential company data.

Doing regular security awareness training for employees can help them be more prepared whenever an attack happens. In fact, hackers are less likely to attack a company if they know the employees are trained to handle attacks in case they occur. But you may ask if all these training courses are important? The short answer is yes, of course. Because the majority of attacks happen as a result of human error, it is important to train employees in such scenarios so they may recognise the early signs.

A successful security awareness program can empower employees to do their part in ensuring that the company data they’re handling is safe, no matter what device they’re using or wherever they may be. 

Security awareness training should cover these basic points:

• Data responsibility and privacy – There is a need to train employees on how to properly handle sensitive company data and their own personal data online.

   

• Password security – There is a need to have strong passwords that can’t be easily guessed and require the use of two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of protection.
  

• Phishing awareness – Train employees to recognise whether a certain website is legitimate or not before they enter personal or sensitive information.

• Threat recognition – Learn how to recognise threats and where they originate.

• Standard operating procedures – A detailed step-by-step guide on what should be done in case of a security incident.

• Email use – Learn to use company email responsibly and understand the risk of sharing confidential information through this method.

• Device and software usage – learn the responsible use of company devices and software, especially when connecting to outside office networks. Utilise VPNs to keep devices secure when connecting to outside networks

Security awareness is just the first step in building a secure culture within your organisation. While having the best security infrastructure can help minimise risks, it is eventually the human element that will help you prevent these attacks.