Training employees in cybersecurity best practices is crucial for any organization, especially as the threat landscape continues to evolve.
In this blog post, we’ll offer actionable considerations on three vital pieces of Employee Training:
- Effective Ways to Train Employees
- What to do When an Employee Fails a Phishing Simulation
- Thinking About Security Beyond Cyber
Effective Ways to Train Employees
There are many ways to train your employees, and the right approach depends on your business environment and where you fit within the Defense Industrial Base. Here are a few strategies to consider:
Regular Training Sessions
Implement mandatory, recurring training sessions for all employees, focusing on different aspects of cybersecurity. Tailor these sessions to show how policies and procedures apply to their specific roles. By conducting these sessions regularly, you ensure that staff stay updated on the latest security protocols.
Interactive Workshops
Engage your team through workshops that feature real-life scenarios, role-playing, and hands-on activities. This interactive method enhances understanding and retention of key cybersecurity principles.
Online Courses and Webinars
Leverage online learning platforms that offer cybersecurity courses, and encourage employees to attend webinars led by industry experts. This option provides flexibility, making it accessible for remote employees.
Online Courses and Webinars
Leverage online learning platforms that offer cybersecurity courses, and encourage employees to attend webinars led by industry experts. This option provides flexibility, making it accessible for remote employees.
Gamified Learning
Introduce gamified experiences like quizzes, puzzles, and cybersecurity challenges to make learning more interactive and enjoyable. This can boost engagement and motivate employees to participate more actively.
Simulated Phishing Exercises
Run simulated phishing attacks to train employees on how to identify and respond to suspicious emails. This hands-on approach sharpens their ability to detect real-world cyber threats.
Regular Updates and Newsletters
Distribute regular updates or newsletters highlighting the latest cybersecurity threats and best practices. Include practical tips, recent attack examples, and timely information to keep employees informed.
Policy Education
Ensure all employees understand the company’s cybersecurity policies. Integrate this into the onboarding process for new hires and offer regular refresher sessions for current staff.
Leverage Real Case Studies
Share real-world examples of cyberattacks, emphasizing their impact on businesses and key lessons learned. This helps employees grasp the tangible consequences of cyber threats.
Promote a Security-First Culture
Establish a culture where cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility. Encourage employees to actively share concerns and ideas to strengthen security practices.
Offer Certification Programs
For employees in sensitive or high-risk roles, provide advanced cybersecurity training, including certifications like CompTIA Security+, CISSP, or CEH. Offer specialized software training to employees managing critical applications.
Emphasize Feedback and Improvement
Gather employee feedback after training sessions to refine future programs. Monitor cybersecurity incidents to pinpoint areas needing additional focus and training.
Engage Leadership
Involve management in cybersecurity training to highlight its importance organization-wide. Leadership commitment reinforces a proactive security mindset across all teams.
Using these methods together can significantly boost employees’ cybersecurity awareness and preparedness.
What to do when an employee fails a phishing simulation
When an employee fails a phishing simulation, it’s crucial to approach the situation as a learning opportunity, not a punishment. Simulations are designed to help employees make mistakes in a safe environment, where it’s easiest to learn. Here’s a guideline for handling it:
Provide Immediate Feedback
Offer instant feedback to the employee who failed the phishing simulation, explaining why the email was a phishing attempt and highlighting the red flags they missed.
Adopt an Educational Approach
Focus on education, not punishment. The goal is to ensure the employee understands the mistake and learns to recognize future threats. Share helpful resources or guides on identifying phishing emails.
Reinforce Training
A failed phishing test may signal the need for additional training. Enroll the employee in targeted cybersecurity awareness programs that focus on phishing detection and response.
Personalize the Training
Tailor training to individual needs. Some employees may struggle with spotting fake URLs, while others might miss suspicious attachments. Customized training can address these specific weaknesses more effectively.
Review Policies and Procedures
Ensure employees understand the company’s phishing policies and know whom to notify if they suspect phishing.
Plan Follow-Up Simulations
Schedule follow-up phishing tests to assess and reinforce detection skills, promoting lasting behavioral changes.
Encourage Open Communication
Foster a culture where employees feel comfortable reporting potential security threats, enhancing vigilance.
Collect Feedback
After training and simulations, gather feedback to improve future programs and tailor training more effectively.
Remember, the goal of phishing simulations is not to penalize employees but to educate them in a safe and supportive environment. Responses to failures should be constructive, focusing on helping employees learn and fostering a more security-conscious culture across the organization.
Training about security beyond phishing is just as vital
Staying secure requires being highly aware of your surroundings, including visitors and anything unusual.
Physical Security Breaches
- Unauthorized Access: Employees must recognize the risks of allowing unverified individuals, such as repair or maintenance personnel, into sensitive areas without proper authorization.
- Tailgating: This happens when an unauthorized person follows an employee into a restricted area. Employees should be vigilant when entering secure spaces to prevent this.
- Access Controls: Employees should understand and follow access control protocols, including keycard usage and not sharing credentials.
Social Engineering Attacks
- Impersonation and Pretexting: Attackers might impersonate repair personnel, inspectors, or other officials to gain physical access to the company’s facilities. Employees should be trained to verify identities and appointments before granting access.
- Phone Scams: Employees should be wary of unsolicited calls asking for sensitive company information or access to systems.
Information Leakage
- Casual Conversations: Educate employees about the risks of discussing sensitive company information in public places where they can be overheard.
- Social Media: Caution employees about sharing too much information on social media that could be used by attackers to gain trust or insights into the company’s operations.
Dumpster Diving
- Disposal of Sensitive Documents: Employees should follow proper procedures for disposing of sensitive documents, like shredding them instead of just throwing them in the trash.
Device Security
- Physical Security of Devices: Training on securing laptops, mobile devices, and other electronic devices, especially in public places, to prevent theft or unauthorized access.
- Use of Removable Media: Caution about the risks associated with using untrusted USB drives or other removable media which may contain malware.
Insider Threats
- Recognizing Suspicious Behavior: Employees should be trained to recognize and report any suspicious behavior among their colleagues, such as accessing unauthorized areas or downloading large amounts of data.
Emergency Procedures
- Response to Incidents: Employees should know how to respond to different security incidents, including who to contact and what steps to take in the immediate aftermath of discovering a breach or suspicious activity.
It is easy to feel like Employee Training is just one more thing to add to a small business owner’s list, and it is not a revenue generator. However, if done effectively and consistently, it can pay back dividends.
