Top Reasons Why Cyber Security Awareness Training Is Important

Despite the continued threat of cyber attacks, cyber security awareness training is a critical issue for management teams. When creating Cyber security awareness training, major difficulties are determining what training has to be delivered, who needs to be trained, and a lack of employee participation.

Security is a human issue. Cybercriminals primarily abuse humans, and cyber attacks are growing in number, sophistication, and cost. According to research, human mistake is responsible for 90% of data breaches.

Today, any failure in cyber security can have serious consequences for businesses. One minor mistake can cause significant harm to the individual and the corporation, which must report the incident to regulators and give its consumers. Customers are increasingly willing to walk away from firms and platforms that can’t protect their data since the cost of a data breach has never been higher. As a result, many businesses face a threat that is too high to ignore.

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To keep your organization from experiencing financial damage.

Regarding security budgets, software, and artificial intelligence are frequently prioritized. However, one important aspect of cybersecurity budgeting can have a huge impact on a business but is sometimes overlooked: workers.

Employees with the greatest security awareness training are more likely to quickly track down potential risks and report any incoming events. Internal operational disruptions can be avoided, and IT security teams can reduce risks before they escalate, causing more financial harm. This is only possible when everyone works together, which occurs when there is enough cyber awareness.

To upgrade information security standards.

Every organization is trying to implement security policies and controls. Cybersecurity training programs clarify these policies and demonstrate to employees how different procedures and frameworks interact. Training modules ensure that employees are aware of the difficulties faced by security issues and are prepared to deal with any problems that arise.

On a larger scale, it assists personnel in tracking security risks at their source and mitigating them before they grow and worsen. Most cybercrime situations start small and only escalate into a full-fledged data breach once too late. By educating users and strengthening information security measures, cybersecurity training programs help to avert such situations.

To reduce anxiety and stress levels at work.

During the aftermath of a cyberattack, everyone can be on edge. After a case, there is a lack of trust and a negative workplace atmosphere. Employees must learn what went wrong or if anyone at work was involved because of a lack of cyber awareness.

A strong employee cybersecurity training program can reduce workplace stress by building trust in employees about technology and cybersecurity protocols. Employees are less likely to make mistakes if they understand how to engage with confidential data and communicate online with security personnel and other staff members.

As more people work from home, attacks are becoming increasingly common.

Many organizations needed to prepare for the drastic change that the pandemic brought about and were forced to work remotely. Cybercriminals have taken advantage of this change in the workplace and are now targeting unprepared and unprotected devices.

A surge in remote work has increased the usage of potentially susceptible services such as virtual private networks (VPNs), unpatched Windows machines, and a lack of security at home, increasing the risk to individuals and businesses. As a result, employees must take the appropriate security precautions to prevent becoming victims of cyber threats during these critical periods.

To combat issues about human error.

Human mistakes caused 95 percent of cybersecurity breaches, according to the IBM Cyber Security Intelligence Index, and firewalls cannot prevent a staff member from falling for a phishing email. Your company could spend millions on cutting-edge security technologies, but it will only matter if your employees are properly trained to recognize and respond to cyberattacks.

It is far easier for cyber thieves to spend a few minutes sending a phishing email than spending months researching zero-day vulnerabilities.

If your employees are unprepared for a cyberattack, the unfortunate reality is that neither is your organization. As a result, a cybersecurity awareness training program for employees can help enhance awareness and knowledge about various dangers, ranging from phishing to physical security.

To give your customers confidence.

Cyber threats are becoming more well-known among consumers. They want to feel protected and secure as clients.

A company that improves cyber security will easily gain consumer trust. Customers that are loyal to a reputable firm are dedicated to it.

This isn’t an estimate. According to a recent survey conducted by Arcserve, 70% of customers say businesses need to do more to maintain cyber security. Nearly two-thirds of consumers would avoid doing business with a company that had suffered a cyberattack the previous year.
Customers care about security credentials. Customers perceive you as more responsible when you implement security awareness training. That can only be beneficial.

Conclusions

Data security, IP protection, and privacy policies should be accompanied by a training program highlighting each function’s importance in preventing cyber attacks.

To successfully combat malevolent intent, employees must be educated on common dangers. Furthermore, by avoiding cybersecurity breaches, a thorough cybersecurity awareness training program reduces the risk of security threats and frees up time for the IT department. Instead of defending against an attack, they may use that time to develop an offensive strategy through penetration testing or other proven approaches for reducing cybersecurity risks and difficulties.

Security Awareness Training helps organizations to:

• Enhance organizational resilience against cyber threats
• Create a change in employee mindset and behavior change
• Generate buy-in and commitment towards cyber security initiatives
• Improve audit results and demonstrate regulatory compliance
• Reduce human error and mitigate security risks

References

• Seven reasons why security awareness training is important | CybSafe. (2021, January 26). Retrieved January 28, 2022, from CybSafe website
• EC-Council. (2021). 6 Reasons Your Employees Need Cyber Security Awareness Training | Aware | EC-Council. Retrieved January 28, 2022, from Eccouncil.org website
• Why Is Security Awareness Training Important? (2020, July 28). Retrieved January 28, 2022, from MetaCompliance website
• Karl, T. (2021, September 15). The Importance of Cyber Security Awareness for All Employees. Retrieved January 28, 2022, from United Training website

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Bonus Content

Cyber Security Awareness Training Presentation (2020 – v1. 1)