Security Awareness Training

Security Awareness Training: 6 Important Training Practices

May 28, 2020

Our lives are increasingly digitalizing with advancements in technology day by day, leading to cyber-attacks and hacking methods being advanced. The organization's operations are highly dependent on technology, communications, customer services, etc. On the other hand, cybercriminals are also becoming more skilled in developing new frauds and methods to hack data. It is crucial to prioritize information and cybersecurity. Security Awareness Training enables users to apprehend an organization's IT policies, practices, and procedures.

With the increase in cyber-attacks and breaches, organizations need to look at the vulnerabilities in their organizations. It is known that people are at increased risk than software vulnerabilities. Cyber threats are people's problems. Such a robust cyber-security program also involves ensuring that people learn to defend themselves and their organizations against threats., Security awareness training would be an excellent way of training and empowering employees to be secured computer users and at the same time protect the data, networks, and technological resources of the company.

If your organization is interested in setting up a security awareness training program for your employees, you are at the right place. This blog will discuss the best security awareness practices that help the organization stay away from security threats.

What is Security Awareness Training?

The employees of the organization are the weakest link in the security system. They forget things, make mistakes and fall into fraud; This is where security awareness training comes into the picture. Security awareness training involves educating employees about the various risks and threats, and possible vulnerabilities, and how to defend them. Employees must learn the best practices and processes to secure organizations' networks and data from threats.

Security awareness training is important for any organization, especially for an IT-related organization. Employees working on computers, laptops, and other devices are an easy target for attacker’s keen on exploiting a victim's lack of awareness.

A successful security awareness training practice in the organization can encourage employees to participate in security awareness programs and attend security-related events arming them against cybersecurity threats.

6 Best Practices for Security Awareness Training

  • Involve every level

    Security awareness should be mandatory for everyone, from executives to low-level employees. It is especially applicable to senior-level management, as they are high-value targets with access to sensitive information that attackers find valuable. Top-down buy-in and participation are required for the most successful security awareness and training programs. An integrated strategy is the best way to create an organizational security culture in which effective decisions and best practices in cybersecurity become simple objectives for end-users at all levels.

  • Make Training Ongoing Process

    Because training tends to be forgotten over time, a security awareness program should be ongoing. Security awareness makes it possible for employees to understand their role within the organization from information security. It would mean establishing a curriculum that covers the most security threats and maintains the security regularly. Security awareness training should include Social Engineering, spear phishing, phishing, and other cyber-attacks. Organizations can establish training programs when onboarding a new employee. Every day is an excellent time to share mainstream data breach news stories to keep security top of mind and conduct awareness activity that prepares them to defend against threats by themselves. Set up monthly or quarterly security awareness training meetings to teach new policies and strategies to reduce the organization's risk.

  • Training covers basics

    Security awareness training practices should train Employees on fundamental topics like password security, anti-phishing techniques, spear phishing, and social engineering.

    Password security: Employees should be explained the importance of password security and trained in creating strong passwords with at least one unique character and avoid writing passwords on post-it notes or sharing with other employees.
    Phishing attacks: By security awareness, practices help employees detect harmful emails and report malicious ones; this can reduce phishing attacks. Be cautious of emails from unknown sources. Emails are used in phishing scams to gain access to systems and create disruption. Security practices include topics such as malicious links, attachments. With security awareness, training practices, employees can dramatically improve their understanding of such attacks with consistent training.
    Social Engineering: Security awareness practices increase the awareness of risks by everyone in the organization, such as manipulating employees to access others systems or disclosing confidential information to other organizations. Security awareness training can also assist you in identifying and repairing any vulnerabilities in your networks and computer systems. Security awareness practice will then give you and your employees the best chance of avoiding social engineering attacks.
  • Testing after training

    It is essential to have a process to measure the efficiency of training. A quiz is a better way to do this. Quizzes should be imposed to obtain baseline measurements and see what has changed before and after training is implemented. For instance, conducting phishing exercises is one such practice. Employees who fail a phishing test should be given additional, context-sensitive training to address the uncovered deficiencies in the test. After having undergone training, the organizations should regularly monitor whether the employee's response to these drills improves or worse.

  • Communication

    An organization should instil security practices. The senior-level management should communicate on risk and security threats with their employees and guide them in a safer organization. Often, communicate the importance and intent of your awareness program. Employees should understand what's going on, why, and what their role is. Concentrate on content that catches your attention and can influence your personal lives. It takes top priority in cybersecurity and prepares employees better to defend themselves and their firms.

  • Insert gamification

    If your company's culture allows it, experiment with gamification techniques to turn a dull field into a fun challenge. Games will engage focus and have the active participation of employees, and they are an excellent form of encouragement. At least ensure that your cybersecurity goal is achieved with rewards and positive enhancement techniques. Including gamification in the training program will help employees pay attention. True gamification may also be a reward system that positively reinforces learning.

It is obvious now that by security awareness training best practices, employees will be able to protect the organization and look forward to working with other teams to create a safer environment. To make this training success will be vital to understand your organization's unique needs and culture. Making security awareness training an ongoing process in an organization is a must. In addition to this, employees in an organization are not always permanent; a few may leave or join the organization, so security awareness training practices should be a frequent program by which the organization will fall less at risk.

Security Awareness Training is one of the inexpensive means of reducing the risk of incidents and breaches. Aware of EC- Council is a leading name in the industry offers the best Security awareness training Program. We have the most extensive security awareness library, with interactive modules, videos, games which makes the training more fun and exciting. As you know, multiple modals account for different types of learning. They involve employees in successful cybersecurity training to maintain knowledge so that they are better able to respond adequately to potential threats. Aware also offers various templates on phishing to help the employees identify them and report them.

Get your training started here.

References

FAQs

A. A security awareness training is to provide employees with the knowledge they need to defend against threats. When it comes to cybersecurity, training is everything. New attacks are constantly occurring, and employees need to be able to succeed them. Security awareness training helps get everyone in an organization to reduce risks and incidents.

Read more at: Cybersecurity Awareness Training for Employees: All You Need to Know

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