Lowering Risk Through Cybersecurity Training

Employees generally want to do the right thing and avoid causing cybersecurity incidents but need guidance and training to be effective in safeguarding company data. The Ponemon Institute reports that a good training program can reduce cybersecurity risk from 60 percent to as low as 10 percent. To enhance cybersecurity in your organization, start by getting top-level buy-in. Ensure that the leadership team and the board understand the importance of cybersecurity awareness and actively engage in promoting it. Cybersecurity risk is not just an IT problem but a business risk. Next, assess your risk. Understand the specific threat landscape for your company. Identify the risks, crown jewels, and vulnerabilities unique to your organization. Determine how susceptible your employees are to threats, such as clicking on phishing emails or falling for scams. Assess the level of insider threat within your organization. Once threats are understood, seek to empower your workforce: Instead of viewing employees as a problem, treat them as the first line of defense. Engage them in promoting cybersecurity and make them a part of the solution. Finally, invest in training. Look for a comprehensive cybersecurity training program that adapts to evolving threats, offers continuous learning, and rewards employees for their vigilance in spotting and reporting security threats.