The Importance of Cybersecurity Awareness Training for Employees

Major breaches in cybersecurity make for big news, unlike hacks against small businesses, even though they account for almost 61% of all cyber-attacks. More than half of all company data breaches are caused by the online negligence of staff members, contractors, and third-party vendors. Such incidents are likely to increase as more and more employees work from remote locations, often using personal devices. It’s projected that approximately half of all workers will work remotely at least part-time by 2020.

These statistics all point to the importance of training employees on business cyber vulnerabilities and how to avoid cybersecurity attacks. Below, learn some of the types of cybersecurity attacks that workers should know they are most susceptible to plus other strategies for educating employees on IT security.

Advise Employees of Common Types of Cyber Attacks

Malware Email

Malware email attacks are increasing risks for businesses. According to a major study on Internet security threats, 88% of these common types of cybersecurity attacks occur as a result of employees downloading email attachments laden with malware to breach a server, device, or network. Malware can cause irreparable damage, and small businesses are the victims of more than 72% of all email malware breaches.

Phishing

No cyber threat is greater than phishing, also known as attacks through social engineering. In phishing scams, employees fall prey to clickbait. Ultimately, materials that seem business-critical are downloaded and provide cybercriminals with a direct entryway through which to invade private networks and to remove data. Malware emails are cleverly devised and appear to come from a manager, employer, or another familiar business contact.

Highly Successful Fileless Attacks

Instead of depending upon malicious links or attachments, so-called “fileless attacks” target applications, software, and programs routinely used. Such attacks have a success rate ten times more effective than phishing or malware email attachments. Failing to update programs to their latest version increases vulnerability to fileless attacks. A distinct challenge of this type of breach is that the average worker doesn’t recognize that there has been a cybersecurity breach.

Human Error

Almost one-third of cybersecurity attacks occur as a result of basic human error. The following are examples of mistakes employees make that can result in a cyber-attack:

• Employees accidentally delete important documents or databases. If data isn’t backed up routinely, problems caused by such mistakes are compounded.
• Employees fail to securely and thoroughly dispose of paper-based files that contain sensitive information.
• Faxes or emails are sent to the wrong recipient.

Employee Training Tips on Cybersecurity

Increasing cybersecurity awareness provides a needed wall of protection against cyber-attacks. The following are proven strategies to effectively educate employees on cybersecurity:

• Make cybersecurity awareness training an engaging, interactive event that ensures employee participation and provides an incentive to learn.
• Speak to employees with understandable language free of technical jargon they may not be familiar with.
• Avoid emphasizing catastrophic cyber breaches and other “scare tactics.” Instead, balance cybersecurity awareness with positive reports on threats that have been effectively mitigated.

When implementing cybersecurity measures, avoid placing burdensome requirements on employees. For instance, requiring a new password every week can result in careless handling of the passwords, for the sake of convenience and to avoid frustration.

NuMSP is a cybersecurity company that can provide valuable protection and the support your business requires without the need for costly internal IT personnel. Cybersecurity breaches are all too common nowadays – enjoy greater peace of mind knowing the experts at NuMSP are protecting your business.

Share this Article