Did you know that only 17 percent of businesses provided internal cybersecurity training in the last 12 months? And yet, 43 percent of executives believe their organisations are well protected from online attackers.
The numbers don’t add up.
Without regular training, your employees may unknowingly:
- Install shadow IT, increasing the risk of threats to your network.
- Click a phishing link and download a virus to your network.
- Breach sensitive data, damaging your reputation and causing you to incur hefty fines.
To deter risks, and improve security across your organisation, you need to embed cybersecurity awareness into your company culture.
4 practical ways to increase awareness
The fact you’re reading this article is a good sign. It means you know there’s a problem you need to fix. The question is, how do you fix it?
1. Bring your IT experts into the boardroom
If your C-suite isn’t prioritising cybersecurity, then why should your employees? Culture filters down, so making changes at an executive level is crucial.
Invite your IT team into the boardroom. They’ll provide insights into your current security posture at a granular level.
They can also help you create and communicate clear cybersecurity policies and goals. This should include what measures you’re taking and why.
But, remember, your employees won’t want to improve their approach to security if a blame culture exists. Foster an environment where staff can flag risks without fear of punishment.
2. Train your staff
Phishing attempts account for 83 percent of attacks on UK businesses. It’s a worrying statistic. But, with the right staff training, you can eliminate this risk.
You may choose to:
- Conduct training internally with help from your IT team.
- Subscribe to an online course for all employees.
- Outsource the training to cybersecurity experts.
3. Deploy simulated attacks
Simulated attacks identify weaknesses in your IT environment which you can then fix. Ethical hackers look for vulnerabilities in everything from your wireless and virtual systems to your internal and external networks.
Of course, it’s no magic wand. As the attack surface continues to expand, so must your awareness of emerging threats. This is why it’s also necessary to benchmark your policies and processes against current industry standards.
4. Conduct a security benchmark assessment
Conducting a security benchmark assessment will reveal how your business measures against global standards. Those produced by the Center for Internet Security are among the most recognised, with reference to specific regulatory standards and compliance.
Of course, a comprehensive security assessment will also include recommendations on how to improve your posture. And, crucially, you should receive them as a road map to better security, so you’ll know which issues are most pressing.
Boost your awareness and reduce your risks
From the ground floor to the C-level, there’s a worrying lack of awareness regarding cyber security. But, with the right approach and training, you can reduce the risks within your organisation.
Our four tips will help you educate your workforce, as well as gain an accurate understanding of your current cybersecurity posture. But if you want to identify threats and vulnerabilities and remediate issues, you need insights from an expert partner.
At HTG, our cybersecurity assessment will break down your next steps into a timeline, indicating the urgency of each issue. So you can create a solid plan of action towards improved security awareness, and better security all around.
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