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SOCs are important for cybersecurity, but are you overlooking your staff?
Securing an organization’s data can feel like an uphill battle. The vectors that cyberattackers can use to penetrate a system’s defenses are immense, and savvy companies tend to regularly invest in cybersecurity software to avoid being caught on the backfoot by threats.
Yet, the human assets (and liabilities) in cybersecurity are often ignored. Employees are usually the first line of defense for effective data protection. An innocently opened phishing email can invite persistent and expensive threats to a company’s entire IT network. For maximum efficacy, cybersecurity must be a combined effort between cybersecurity solutions software, technical experts and vigilant staff.
Business leaders can take the lead in helping employees develop crucial security awareness to ensure the organization’s security. Consistent training for cybersecurity events will help the workforce to build skills they’ll need when an actual attack occurs.
Creating a roadmap to build specific knowledge needed to confront cyber threats and developing an effective cybersecurity training program in line with your organization’s goals and objectives can increase client confidence as well as save considerable time and expenses.
How to start ensuring that your employees well-versed in cybersecurity:
Make the 3 essential pillars a workforce mantra
Employees must be made aware that cyber security extends beyond the internal network. Endpoints and e-mail or social media accounts are often areas where malicious attacks can do the most damage. Accounts, devices and networks are all vectors of penetration that workers must be aware of and responsible for.
Securing accounts: Employees must be fluent in the tools that keep their emails, company portals and social media safe. Ensure that they understand best-practices around passwords, pins, multifactor authentication, and password managers.Securing devices: laptops and computers, gaming devices, TVs and smart devices, phones and external hard drives can all be a means for malicious actors to gain access to a company’s system. Demonstrate common ways in which this could happen, to allow easier detection by your workers.
Securing networks: Employees should know the best practices to use private networks (home routers), bluetooth and public WiFi safely. Prioritize teaching caution around these systems.
Review industry security guidelines for your region.
Ensure that you are compliant with a baseline security strategy. Your next goal should be to surpass it.
Identify the cybersecurity skills that your employees need the most
Collaborating with your in-house IT team and external experts, a skills gap analysis combined with a security infrastructure appraisal can be helpful in identifying security blind spots.
Review industry security guidelines for your region to ensure that you are compliant with a baseline security strategy. Your next goal should be to surpass it.Create and deploy controlled attacks to prime your workforce
Simulations that include phishing, ransomware, and social-engineering attacks are essential to making employees aware of different threats.
Start simple and focus on real-world scenarios. Focus on building skills and confidence, incorporating feedback before introducing more complex threats.
Reinforce cyber security training and awareness
Create a regular cybersecurity awareness training plan that is suited to your organizations security needs and budget.
Incorporate reviews, feedback and evaluations to refine the program to be as effective as possible.
Reward employees for their ongoing vigilance and participation.
Your staff's role is pivotal in either bolstering or weakening your organization's security efforts. Traditionally, end-users have presented the most vulnerable target for cyber attacks, with the emergence of remote and hybrid work setups exacerbating the situation. Attack surfaces now extend beyond the traditional office network. Employees often use personal devices and unsecured home networks, increasing vulnerability to cyber-attacks. Remote work also complicates monitoring and enforcing security policies, making it harder to ensure consistent adherence to best practices. Additionally, the increased use of collaboration tools and cloud services can introduce new security risks if not properly managed.
To mitigate risks effectively, providing thorough security training covering best practices is essential. Crafting this training demands expertise in pinpointing vulnerabilities, engaging employees effectively, and tailoring content to suit industry-specific requirements.
A robust cybersecurity strategy hinges on employees being well-versed in best practices for protecting IT networks, hardware and accounts. They should also be adept at safeguarding various devices and recognizing potential threats. Compliance with industry security guidelines is fundamental, aiming to not only meet but exceed baseline security standards. Once this is done, deploying controlled attack simulations, such as phishing and ransomware, can help prime employees to recognize and respond to threats. Most importantly, continuous reinforcement of training through regular awareness programs, feedback incorporation, and rewarding vigilance ensures a secure workplace.
With employees that are in the know about cyber security, a company will add a crucial front to its data security efforts and create a proactive security culture. Learn more with Rewterz.