As organizations embrace technology more deeply in the age of hybrid work environments and cloud computing work platforms, employees face more security threats, such as phishing expeditions, business email compromise, ransomware and different types of malware attacks.
There isn’t an organization that’s immune to online attacks. As stated in the 2018 Malwarebytes, the year of the data breach blog, the list of companies hacked by cybercriminals reads like a list of the most renowned tech companies, retailers, and hospitality providers.
However, many of these companies have the resources to recover from a cybersecurity attack, despite the hit to reputation, business relationships, and resources. But what about small to medium-sized businesses?
News of a small to medium-sized organization closing permanently after a data breach, ransomware strike, or some other form of online attack regularly makes the headlines. In fact, as stated in our small business ransomware protection guide, most small businesses shut down within six months of a cyber attack.
It’s not surprising that a significant portion of these attacks occur due to employee error. It’s often easier for a threat actor to manipulate human behavior with a phishing email than rely on hacking tools because most employees aren’t trained to manage attacks. And with the rise of AI chatbots, scammers can design compelling phishing emails even if writing isn’t their strongest suit.
Good security awareness training can create an essential first cybersecurity barrier around your organization. In modern organizations, every employee at every endpoint is like a doorway to the company. Cybersecurity awareness training alongside tools like Endpoint Detection and Response mechanisms helps keep these doorways secure.
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Security awareness training is the process of educating people about the different kinds of cybersecurity threats that impact accounts, devices, systems, and networks, and how to manage them. Organizations invest in security awareness training to mitigate the risk of data breaches, identity theft, industrial espionage, sabotage, and financial crimes. Security awareness training also helps companies stay compliant with privacy laws.
There are many different ways to deliver security awareness training, such as seminars by security consultants, online courses, interactive quizzes, and attack simulations. Professionals in organizations who benefit from security awareness training include entry-level employees, accounting and HR departments, and executives. But security awareness training is also beneficial for sole proprietors, freelancers, and anyone else who values online privacy.
So, why is security awareness training important? It all boils down to two factors: cost and employees. According to the Cost of a data breach 2022 report by IBM, the average cost of a data breach in the United States is as high as $9.44M. The global average cost is $4.35M. With a significant number of data breaches resulting from human error, security awareness training is a cost-effective way to meaningfully harden your defenses and protect intellectual property, personally identifiable information, account passwords, and other sensitive data.
In addition to teaching people how to manage online threats, training helps develop a company culture where employees take responsibility for their actions. Security training reduces the risk of cybersecurity breaches impacting productivity, reputation, and relationships, and hence helps maintain company morale and culture.
Finally, security awareness training can help organizations stay compliant with privacy regulations. Laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regulate how organizations manage data.
Educating employees who lack interest in cybersecurity and already have full workloads isn’t a straightforward task. Designing a security awareness training program that resonates with employees is essential. Here are some steps that can help execute an effective security training program:
Customize the program to make it relevant to the roles, responsibilities, and industries of your employees. For example, instead of a generic program for hospital staff, train them in scenarios that real healthcare professionals experience.
For some professional insights, please read Making better cybersecurity training: Q&A with Malwarebytes expert Kelsey Prichard on Malwarebytes Labs.
There are several threats on the web that can compromise security like unsafe websites, infected downloads, and malware. Organizations with loose BYOD policies may be more susceptible to malicious elements on the web. Employees should always arm their devices with antivirus software and browser security extensions. They should also steer clear of websites that:
Attackers can deliver malware and scam messages through email. They can also use a compromised email account to initiate the following types of attacks:
Staff should be trained to spot social engineering attacks on emails. They must learn to handle potentially malicious attachments. And they must know how email spoofing attacks work.
Phishing is a commonly used attack vector against organizations. Phishing messages appear legitimate but are fraudulent and designed to induce victims into making cybersecurity mistakes, such as opening an unsafe link or revealing a password to a company account. Security awareness training, which includes anti-phishing testing exercises, can educate employees about these attacks.
With hackers using brute force attacks to break weak passwords in seconds, organizations must set strong password policies as part of cybersecurity awareness training for employees. Every member of an organization must learn how to create a strong password during the security education training and awareness program. They should also be encouraged to change passwords regularly. After all, even the most complex password is useless if it’s stolen. Of course, a good manager for passwords can help them maintain their login credentials.
Good security training can help defend an organization from insider threats, such as industrial spies, state-sponsored agents, malicious contractors, or employees who are unintentionally causing harm. Insider threats can be responsible for supply chain attacks, intellectual property threats, data breaches, or malware attacks.
Members of an organization can be taught to identify the signs of an insider threat, such as suspicious activity, and how to report the threat safely and privately. Security teams should be trained to limit access to confidential data and systems and monitor networks for unusual activity.
Attackers are using psychology to gain sensitive information or access company systems. However, they can be stopped with security awareness education that focuses on common social engineering tactics.
Here are some examples:
Modern mobile devices are no longer simple machines that can only make phone calls or send text messages. A smartphone is a highly sophisticated device that can exchange emails, browse the Internet, take pictures, record sound, and download files.
Threat actors can use an employee’s mobile device in several ways to attack an organization. For example, they can hack it with spyware to steal secrets. They can snoop on the mobile device user through an unsecured network. Or they can simply steal the device and engage in malicious activity.
Cybersecurity awareness training for employees with mobile devices should cover:
Malware is an umbrella term for malicious software, and it can cover any threatening software, from a virus to a Trojan. Yet most people use the terms “virus” and “malware” interchangeably. Viruses are less of a threat than more sophisticated types of malware that can steal sensitive information or hijack systems.
Learning about the different kinds of malware that hackers use to attack organizations can help employees spot threats, the symptoms of an infection, and how to manage a malware attack such as ransomware, spyware, keylogger, worm, or a Trojan.
Security awareness training can also help people learn about the common malware infection vectors:
Such infections may be delivered via attack vectors like malicious emails, websites, links, and thumb drives.
Training should cover security legislation. For example, employees in Canada should know about PIPEDA, while employees in Europe must know about GDPR. Learning about local compliance laws can help staff understand the finer points of privacy laws and how to handle PII. Staying compliant with regulations helps organizations avoid heavy fines, civil action, and reputational damage.
In addition to helping organizations comply with data protection laws, data security training can prevent sensitive information about employees, clients, and stakeholders from leaking. In addition to learning about password security, malware, and social engineering, employees must learn about the following as part of data security training:
Employees must also know how to identify, manage, and protect sensitive information. They should also be trained to use cybersecurity tools that protect private information from hackers and malware. For example, remote working staff must avoid using public WiFi or sharing data over unsecured channels. In addition, they should know how to use a corporate VPN (Virtual Private Network).
So, how does a VPN work, and why should it be covered in end-user security awareness training? In layman’s terms, a VPN is a technology that establishes a private and secure connection to the Internet. Any data transmitted from an endpoint, like a remote worker’s laptop to a corporate network, is encrypted and unreadable to an eavesdropper.
Executives such as CEOs, CFOs, and others must never be overlooked in security awareness training. High-level targets can be manipulated in business email compromise, whaling, spear-phishing, vishing, smishing, and other types of scams. Executives should be trained to recognize threats and verify sensitive requests.
With the focus on cybersecurity threats, organizations must not forget about localized threats like insiders, tailgating, and even baiting. Security teams must be trained to utilize CCTV cameras and ID cards to optimize security. Access control to data must be strictly set on a need-to-know basis.
Employees must never open random media such as CDs, DVDs, or thumb drives on company computers as they may carry malware. A clear chain of custody for sensitive documents must be established in the security training protocols.
There are several different types of security tools and resources an organization can utilize for awareness training. Low-cost measures include training videos, newsletters, and emails. More effective measures include modules, seminars, and simulations.
The primary goal of security awareness training is to provide cybersecurity education. Trained employees can identify and manage threats better than untrained ones. An organization that invests in security awareness training can protect its systems, assets, and reputation from attacks.
The price depends on the program. There are low-cost options, such as free training videos online. More expensive options that include simulations can be pricier. Organizations interested in security awareness resources should try Malwarebytes Academy.
Businesses can check the effectiveness of their security awareness training program by monitoring certain metrics. For example, a decrease in phishing click rate during exercises or a reduction in incidents are good signs. Asking for feedback can also help an organization gauge the success of their security training.
The recommended frequency of security awareness training depends on an organization’s risk profile. For example, any industry that’s facing cyber threats frequently should invest in more training. Most companies typically hold training every six months or so, though.
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