Ways to educate your employees about cyber security 20^th December 2021

The recent surge in cyber-attacks on businesses indicates that no organization is exempted from the online threat. Even the IT industry, which is supposed to help other sectors be safe, is on the radar. No matter how top-notch your company's security software may be. The end-user of it is the employee, and their negligence could jeopardize the entire organization.

Recent studies have proven that more than 80% of cyber-attacks are caused by human errors and not the inefficiency of the security measure. As a result, the significance of cyber security training has grown exponentially. In this space, we will be discussing a few ways to educate your employees to be smart when it comes to online security.

1. Enlighten employees about the impact of cyber exploitation:
When educating employees, explaining the impact of a cyber-attack on the organization is the best move to start with. This includes shedding light on economic damage and loss of trust among consumers. Most workers are unaware of the risks of exposing the company's digital assets while being involved in activities like viewing work-related documents when connected to a public WiFi, discussing the security systems with people not associated with the organization, etc.

2. Make training mandatory for all the new employees:
Ensure that all critical aspects of cyber security are communicated to new employees to prevent potential cyber-attacks. Including data protection and internet usage guidelines in the employee handbook is advisable.
Demonstrating that your company values cybersecurity just as it does job functions and goals will establish a feeling of responsibility in them, and they will be cautious about the cyber threat from the beginning. Educating them over these matters is crucial.

3. Teaching them about password safety:
Passwords are required for accessing devices, authenticating accounts, and using any job software, platform, or tool. Because there is so much to memorize, many employees may choose general passwords that the hackers can readily decipher. Cybersecurity training should educate employees to grasp the significance of passwords. The company must promote encrypted passwords, and employees should be given proper training on the concepts of encryption and decryption.

4. Take advantage of cyber security training courses:
There are a lot of courses available online about cyber security. They take you through all the important Dos and Don'ts while using the internet. Encourage your employees to enrol in such programs and ask them to present the certificate of completion. You may even conduct in-house workshops and seminars regarding the same.

5. Update the training module and repeat the process:
Provide cyber security training regularly. Continuous training will enable you to include regulatory changes and knowledge about the most recent frauds into the training module. Staying up to date can make the difference between keeping your business safe and compromising it to fraudulent attacks.

Additional Tips:

• Organize seminars from cyber security professionals.

• Reward employees for their achievements and wise decisions regarding cyber security.

• Teach ethics to practice while working off-site.

• Teach the employees how to spot online scams.

• Secure your company against cyber-attacks by having public liability insurance as a protective cover for your data and information.

Employees having proper knowledge about cyber safety is a business's first line of defence because, as we said earlier, your company may have the most robust IT solutions. Still, your staff are the ones that operate and maintain those resources. Therefore, educating them with the proper understanding will improve what is frequently seen as the weak point in any security chain: people.

Click HERE to know more about how public liability insurance can protect your organization from cyber threats.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.