The Importance of Cybersecurity Training – Cybersecurity is an exciting career choice; most individuals enter it either directly from college or by transitioning from another IT role.
Mimecast offers short and frequent cybersecurity training sessions for employees to keep them aware of best practices, helping to keep employees focused on security best practices. Mimecast can help employees stay aware through monthly cybersecurity awareness training that lasts only 3 – 5 minutes!
Education
Cybersecurity training may not be new, but its presence only recently made headlines. One clear indicator of this growth was 2004’s National Cyber Security Awareness Month – an event designed to encourage individuals and companies to take measures for keeping online activity secure by encouraging practices such as regularly updating antivirus software.
Education and training in cybersecurity are integral parts of helping employees understand the threats they face, as well as how best to respond. This holds true both for those new to the field as well as professionals already active in cybersecurity.
Goal of any cybersecurity awareness program should be to reduce the risk of cyber attacks by changing employee behaviors. Key to its success, gaining buy-in from those responsible for putting cybersecurity policies into action; such as executives overseeing security programs, employees implementing them, and those charged with making sure they’re followed properly.
Human risk management can often be the key to meeting this objective, with cybersecurity platforms and programs helping identify areas of vulnerability, as well as tools to address them – including training users to be more vigilant regarding suspicious emails and social engineering tactics, or running regular phishing simulations to reinforce positive cybersecurity habits.
Training programs must keep pace with the ever-evolving cyber threat landscape and be regularly updated in response to this change. Beyond simply informing users about recent attacks, cybersecurity awareness training programs should offer various learning experiences such as hands-on workshops, virtual labs or even real world hacking exercises to facilitate user awareness training.
Career success in cybersecurity takes hard work and dedication; typically this can be obtained with either a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, information technology computer science or both. Furthermore, an internship offers valuable experience as well as the chance to demonstrate knowledge of the industry.
Training
An effective training can assist employees in recognizing cyber threats and understanding how to prevent them. Furthermore, it can reinforce effective security practices like avoiding clickable links and keeping software up-to-date.
As part of their cybersecurity training, employees should become aware of compliance requirements imposed under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that may compromise sensitive data or compromise an organization’s reputation. Cybersecurity training also can ensure employees comply with applicable regulations like GDPR.
Training should be tailored specifically to different roles within an organization. For instance, entry-level employees with limited access to proprietary information and financial systems typically face less risks than senior IT personnel who have full access to them. Furthermore, cybersecurity training that addresses specific vulnerabilities of various types of hackers can be extremely helpful.
Training should take multiple forms, from online learning and gamification to ongoing messaging that reminds employees of their cybersecurity responsibilities and provides quick refreshers, so employees can learn in ways best suited to them.
Experience is key when it comes to mitigating cyber threat risk, so training which includes simulations such as phishing attacks can be highly valuable. Employees can practice identifying them and gain confidence in responding effectively against attacks such as these.
Small businesses without the resources necessary for developing their own cybersecurity training can turn to third-party service providers for assistance, saving both time and money while increasing employee productivity by freeing them up to focus on core responsibilities instead of security incidents and breaches.
Data breaches can be extremely expensive for small businesses, leading to legal fees and irreparable damage to their reputation – in some cases even bankruptcy – such as those experienced after WannaCry ransomware attacks such as 2017 WannaCry. With proper cybersecurity awareness training and support services in place, however, these costs can be avoided altogether.
Tools
If you are seeking to implement cybersecurity training into your workplace, there are various tools and resources available that can help. These can assist with assessing and managing cyber threats, improving overall security posture and informing employees how they can stay safe at work and at home.
Cybersecurity training tools should be designed with users in mind. Since they may not be cybersecurity experts themselves, it must be easy for them to comprehend the information presented to them in a manner which is both visually engaging and digestible. In addition, updates of such tools should frequently occur to meet emerging cyber threats and trends.
ESET malware detection and protection software is an immensely popular choice among IT and cybersecurity professionals, providing protection from phishing attacks, credential theft and social engineering attacks as well as helping identify malicious activity in the future. There is a free option for smaller businesses; for more advanced features such as phishing simulators or email reminders it will require upgrading.
Infosec IQ offers another approach, offering a suite of tools for cybersecurity awareness training such as phishing simulation and analytics dashboards as well as courses and certifications designed specifically to support business teams.
Coursera collaborates with more than 300 universities and businesses to offer an impressive variety of courses, certification programs, degree tracks and degree tracks, with its cybersecurity offerings covering ethical hacking, penetration testing, Kubernetes management and tracking individual cybersecurity ratings to reinforce training importance and foster employee engagement.
The National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCSA) offers an expansive collection of documents and tips on cybersecurity that is invaluable for anyone attempting to keep their employees secure. Another useful resource is Bruce Schneier’s cybersecurity newsletter which regularly provides in-depth updates regarding past and ongoing vulnerabilities.
Resources
Cybersecurity requires teamwork, and teams need access to various resources in order to stay abreast of the latest threats. While no single solution fits all situations, there are tools available that can assist organizations in developing training programs tailored specifically for their employees’ needs – these could range from cybersecurity blogs and courses all the way up to full immersion courses.
Many cybersecurity experts share their knowledge with others through free online courses offered by various platforms, like Coursera. Coursera’s courses range from ethical hacking and penetration testing to Kubernetes management; additionally there are certification programs and degree-track options for staff. Similarly, Udemy provides courses covering every field including information security and cyber risk management.
Newcomers to cybersecurity may find assistance through the Center for Internet Security’s whitepapers, which provide invaluable guidance and advice from industry experts about how to secure systems. Both beginners and those more seasoned can find these documents useful; others such as National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies can be used as training programs for prospective cybersecurity professionals.
Infosec IQ provides numerous training programs tailored specifically for each industry and role. Their courses help employees learn how to secure data against hackers as well as identify common cybersecurity risks like phishing emails.
Finally, TED Talks offer a great way to gain cybersecurity insights from some of the industry’s foremost practitioners. These talks typically last 18 minutes or less and cover topics such as how to recognize cyber attacks and what action are necessary in case of breaches.
Additionally, it is vital to find a program tailored specifically to the needs and budget of your organization. Cybersecurity training for your staff gives them the best chance at safeguarding the information of their company.
