Essential Steps to Follow while Conducting Cybersecurity Training

The cyber-world is growing, and so is the crime rate. Sadly, many people dedicate their time to sending phishing letters to targets, including employees. Teams in any company are the weakest link. Many of them might struggle to notice signs of a phishing email. That could lead to many unfortunate incidents, like giving confidential information or credentials access.

Moreover, these cybercriminals target every type of company, big or small, as its success depends on employee resistance. So, it becomes crucial to learn how to keep the business safe from internet threats.

If you want your company to be safe, the best thing to do is train your employees in cybersecurity. We have prepared some helpful tips for ensuring that your employees get the best education regarding cybersecurity.

Talk to Your Employees

The first step is to stay calm if your employee makes a mistake. It is straightforward to fall for a fraud email without the proper knowledge. Blaming the employee reflects the company’s inability to invest in its security.

Instead, make sure the employees understand the importance of cybersecurity training. Convey your message in simple words so that even the non-technical department people can understand. Make them know their importance in preventing the company’s loss. No one wants to be the victim of a personal system security breach or home network intrusion.

Be Acquainted with the Latest Types of Fraud

Learning the potential fraud scenarios is a crucial part of the education process. Keep an eye out for these five types of cybercrimes that hamper the workings of any organization.

Companies can also learn from experts that organize seminars or summits to introduce the latest cybersecurity techniques. Such information can later be spread to other employees.

• Phishing

Many people fall into the trap of attractive phishing offers like ‘your million-dollar lottery is just a click away.’ Do not give away your personal information online, no matter how official it may look.

• Data Breach

Sensitive information leaks can be very devastating to the company. Such data breaches often occur due to poor firewalls on the system or manual mistakes. They may attack the system in the form of malware or phishing emails.

• Cyber Extortion

Any data breach may lead to extortion of money in exchange for valuable data. The hackers can log you out of your system till the payment is made.

• Identity Theft

It happens when you see any online activity done in your name without your knowledge. The most common reason to use someone else’s credentials is to conduct financial identity theft.

• Harassment

It usually affects small businesses. Multiple negative comments from an online bully can affect the sales of any business. If this happens, know your rights, report the user, and keep evidence of all the comments.

Emphasize the Importance of using Company Laptops

It is easy to detect fraud on a company’s system while working in the office. These laptops have appropriate security patches and use a secure Wi-Fi network. But, when a person is working from home or in a public area using their system, it becomes tough to track the cause of fraud.

Focus on teaching your employees the importance of using a Virtual Private Network while working from a cafe. A VPN can encrypt internet traffic, preventing data leaks, interception, and theft. It also cloaks online activities from potential snoopers. A VPN download should also be recommended if employees use personal computers. It means that both corporate and personal tasks happen on the same device. The best solution would be to avoid this. However, if BYOD is a part of one’s company culture, recommend the best tools for staying safe.

Apart from using a VPN, make a strict rule of using only work login credentials so that all the individual activities can be tracked. Make sure your employees use secure login processes and multi-factor authentication.

Keep an Eye for Suspicious Activities

Make it a habit to look for any changes in the system before starting work every day. These can be minor changes like the following:

• An extra plugin on the internet browser.
• The keyboard or mouse is getting stuck.
• Pop-ups while turning on or off the system.
• Unknown file on the desktop.
• Sudden shut down of the system.

Inform your employees to report any minor changes. It is better to deal with a false alarm than ignore a real threat.

Give your Employees Cybersecurity Lessons

Do not just shove all the information related to cybersecurity in one email. Corporate employees deal with multiple emails every day, and this vital email will lose its importance. Instead, introduce cybersecurity into everyday talk. Spread out the information into several interactive emails. It will help the employees to retain the knowledge in the long run.

Above all, professional training is critical to understanding the jargon of the world of cyber security. Invest in your employees as they are the backbone of your company.

Conduct seminars, quizzes, and online courses to keep your employees updated about cybersecurity.

Conduct Surprise Drills

No amount of information or training will be helpful if the person cannot apply them in a time of crisis. It is essential to conduct mock drills periodically to ensure the information taught is retained. These drills prepare people for real-life fraud and keep them updated on the hackers’ new tactics.

In the End

As the famous saying goes, better safe than sorry should be implemented into the company’s core teachings. Cybercriminals are finding new tactics to gain access to confidential information in different companies. Investing in cybersecurity training for your employees and regularly updating their knowledge can help you run your organization smoothly.