Cybercrime is evolving rapidly. A few years ago, cybercriminals used to specialise in identity theft, but now through the click of a link or download of an attachment, hackers can easily infiltrate a business’s network and steal funds or critical data. This type of crime is not limited to the large corporates it is something that effects organisations of every size and type.
It is no surprise that according to a study conducted by IBM; human error is the main cause of 95% of cyber security breaches.
To complete this successfully the hacker needs to convince the individual that they are legitimate and trustworthy to enable the person to click on a link or fill in a form that will compromise their details or download malware onto their systems.
The way that they persuade so many people to do this is through convincing them that they are who they say they are. Social engineering is all about gaining the details so that it entices as many people as possible to do what the hacker wants.
Clarifyi understand how important brand reputation is to any business. We know that if a company has experienced a cyber breach, or if they are looking at pre-emptive measures to mitigate a cyber breach; an area that is often neglected is the human aspect of security and how this can impact the brand.
What Is Security Awareness Training?
According to Mimecast security awareness training is an educational program designed to improve employees’ knowledge of security threats and the best practices that can help to avoid or prevent them.
Cyber security training if delivered effectively can educate staff on what steps they need to take to protect themselves and the business from loss or damage.
We feel that the workforce can be a strong line of defence against hackers if they are enabled with the skills and knowledge on how to be cyber safe.
There is a requirement for companies to deliver security awareness training to all staff at least once a year to stay compliant with industry regulations or frameworks such as:
- ISO27001
- NIST
- PCI (Payment Card Initiative)
- HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996)
- Sarbanes-Oxley reporting requirements
And even though it may not be required by Small and Medium Enterprises for compliance reasons, they can certainly benefit from training their employees to limit cyber-attacks through social engineering and phishing attacks.
Top Tips for maximising the benefit of cyber security training
Clarifyi understand that for people to engage with any sort of training it must be compelling to complete.
Content
The content must be informative, engaging and resonate with the audience. It needs to be broken down into bitesize digestible chunks so as not to overwhelm.
A multi-faceted approach with different elements such as bespoke training, posters and e-learning can all help with engagement and retention.
Repeat, Repeat, Repeat
Did you know that most people will lose 70% of any new information within 24 hours if they do not try to retain it.
A sustained and repeatable training programme is key to ensuring knowledge retention among your staff.
Gamify Training
Utilising avatars and humour can help staff retain the information as it is more relatable to them.
Test the Staff
Send phishing simulations that prompt a user to either click a link, report the phish.
If they do fall for the phish, you want the ability to do additional training then and there to create a learning moment.
Clarifyi deliver cyber security awareness training for further information please visit:
or contact us to discuss your specific requirements
+44 (0)121 232 4662
Summary
In summary a business can improve their security posture if they invest in training staff on how to protect themselves and the business against hackers. Cyber security training if delivered effectively can educate staff on what steps they need to take to protect themselves and the business from loss or damage.
We feel that the workforce can become a human firewall creating a strong line of defence against hackers if they are enabled with the skills and knowledge on how to be cyber safe.
