Employees and cybersecurity: how to train them?
Why raise awareness about cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity awareness makes employees aware of the risks of cyberattacks. Similarly, awareness of cybersecurity in the company gives the right reflexes to better react during a computer attack.
Cybersecurity awareness: better anticipate cyberattacks
Through cybersecurity awareness, employees can understand the role they play during a cyberattack. Even if they do not turn out to be malicious, they are usually the ones who create the security holes that hackers rush into. Due to lack of training — and sometimes naivety — company employees do not necessarily know how to recognize a fraudulent site likely to harbor malware or a phishing attempt by e-mail.
The development of telework further increases the risk of cyberattacks. The employee shows less vigilance when he is at home. He can connect from his personal computer, or from a café where the Wi-Fi is much less protected. Furthermore, cybercrime evolves at the same time as cybersecurity. Cybercriminals are diversifying their modus operandi to increase their chances of success.
Awareness of computer security therefore allows employees to take the lead in order to significantly reduce the risk of cyberattacks. They learn to:
- better secure their passwords;
- regularly update their computer system;
- recognize suspicious websites;
- recognize fraudulent emails;
- etc
Awareness of cybersecurity in business: better react during a cyberattack
Acquiring the right reflexes to better anticipate a cyberattack is not enough. Employees must recognize abnormal operation due to a cyber incident, but also act accordingly.
Indeed, the first minutes after a cyberattack are crucial. Employees must act quickly and show composure, without falling into certain traps. Thus, the reflex to turn off the infected computer(s) is not appropriate. This would risk losing valuable evidence. The isolation of infected systems, the establishment of a crisis unit, communication with the authorities, the restoration of systems… All these steps must be mastered in order to minimize the consequences of a cyberattack.
According to Proofpoint, a leading cybersecurity company, 77% of French organizations used teleworking in 2020. Only 38% made their employees aware of vigilance in teleworking conditions.
How to raise awareness about cybersecurity?
Of course, the implementation of an IT charter appended to the internal regulations is crucial to raise staff awareness of cybersecurity. However, this is not enough to permanently reduce the risk of cyberattacks.
Integrate cybersecurity into the recruitment process
During the recruitment process, it is essential to know the candidates’ aptitudes in the face of cybercrime. Do they have the right reflexes? Do they know the types of cyberattacks? How does a computer attack take place? The idea is not to exclude candidates who have no concept of security, but to better identify them in order to train them.
For example, cybersecurity awareness can be conducted during the onboarding process. This is to ensure that each new employee knows the main threats and adopts good corporate cybersecurity practices.
Organize exercises to better understand the consequences of a cyberattack
Theory is not enough to show what a company risks in the event of a cyberattack. A computer security awareness program should use concrete examples to convey the company’s cybersecurity policy. Scenarios based on old cyberattacks make it possible to better understand the entire process, to assess their impact for the company.
Cybersecurity Awareness: Invest in Training
Training teams in cybersecurity is essential today. Not only do some employees may have no notion of computer security, but above all, cybersecurity is evolving in real time. Attacks are constantly being modernized and a good defense of computer systems requires regular updating of knowledge.
CSB.SCHOOL offers tailor-made training, established according to the needs of a company. The event brings together employees of the same company and adapts to the activity of the company. Of course, the basics of cybersecurity are covered there, but this à la carte program allows employees to quickly increase their skills.
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