A Quick Guide to Cyber Security Awareness Training for Employees

Aug 30, 2022

While there’s nothing quick about protecting your company from cyber security threats, ensuring your employees are empowered to identify and prevent attacks doesn’t have to be a challenge. Studies show that 95% of data breaches result from human error,1 so keeping your team up to date and aware of cyber threats with regularly-scheduled security awareness training should be a top priority for businesses of all sizes.

Why Is Security Awareness Training Important?

Educating your employees about how to spot and avoid the various types of cyber threats can turn them from the weakest point in your company’s cyber security strategy to the strongest line of defense against attacks. Some benefits include:

  • Increasing your team’s confidence in their ability to prevent cyber attacks and protect the network
  • Improving employee awareness of regulatory compliance and how they should handle sensitive data
  • Building customer trust as a company that consistently safeguards sensitive information

Common Cyber Security Risks

A lack of proper training can have a devastating impact on cyber security, especially if you’re supporting a remote or hybrid workforce. Here are some common threats that can harm your business and bring operations to a standstill:

  • Phishing Attacks: A phishing attack occurs when a fake email disguised to look like a legitimate message is sent to a person or group with the intention of gaining information. An example of this would be when an employee receives an unexpected password reset email asking them to click a link and re-enter their credentials. The link then takes them to a fake site, where they provide information that the attacker uses to gain access to the company network.
  • Spoofing Attacks: Spoofing is an attack that occurs when a malicious party impersonates a person with a fake email address. Often, the attacker registers a display name and fake domain similar to the person’s user name (i.e., bill@rnicrosoft.com vs. bill@microsoft.com). Spoofing is dangerous because the person being impersonated is typically someone with influence over the target, which can put pressure on your employee to comply with a request or divulge sensitive information.
  • Physical Security: If a work-from-anywhere employee leaves their laptop or smartphone unattended, they could expose your entire network to malware and other risks. Malicious parties steal laptops every 53 seconds,2 so emphasizing physical security in your BYOD (bring your own device) policy is crucial.

Secure Your Workforce With Granite

As cyber threats rise, investing in cyber security awareness training for your employees can go a long way toward protecting your network. If you’re not sure whether your training program is as effective as it can be, a knowledgeable, caring expert like Granite can help.

We’re your all-in-one source for Montana IT and security solutions, with hands-on experience helping companies find the right cyber security training strategy to meet their needs. Our goal is to be a consultative advisor so that you have the tools and support you need to focus on what truly matters: serving your customers. Contact Granite today if you’re ready to learn more about how we can help you grow your business.

Sources:

  1. https://www.digitalinformationworld.com/2022/01/95-percent-of-cybersecurity-breaches.html
  2. https://www.channelpronetwork.com/article/mobile-device-security-startling-statistics-data-loss-and-data-breaches

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