Scan the latest news headlines for stories about breaches and it quickly becomes clear why leaders are concerned about their organization’s security posture. A recent Fortinet study shows that nearly 90% of businesses have breached one or more laws in the past year, and 67% of leaders say a lack of employee security awareness contributed to those incidents.
At the same time, cybercriminals are raising the stakes as they increase the volume and speed of the threats they use, with leaders concerned that these emerging attack tactics, especially those involving AI, will be more challenging to detect and prevent than “conventional” computer attacks. . A persistent skills shortage also continues to plague businesses, as many security and IT teams lack the staff and skills needed to protect their organization.
As organizations navigate these complexities, they must take a “hands-on-deck” approach to security. This is why security awareness and training are fundamental components of any strong risk management strategy. There are important things to consider as you implement new training programs or revise existing programs.
Cybersecurity is everyone’s job
Last year, 80% of organizations experienced malware, phishing, and web attacks, all of which were aimed directly at users. This insight underscores how important it is to build a cyber-aware workforce. A team of skilled professionals and the right security technology are important, but your first line of defense against cybercrime is your employees.
It is encouraging to see more leaders prioritizing safety education in their businesses. According to the Fortinet 2024 Security Awareness and Training Global Research Report, 97% of managers believe that more training and awareness can help reduce cyberattacks, up from 93% last year. Of those managers whose organizations already have a security training and awareness program in place, 89% reported an improvement in their security posture after implementing these programs.
These are important elements of any safety awareness and training program
Developing and managing a security awareness and training program is no small task, but careful consideration and planning can greatly strengthen your comprehensive security efforts. To maximize program effectiveness and participation, leaders must discuss and align the program’s vision and goals, training format and delivery schedule, and content.
Explain the vision and goals of the program
Research shows that employees are open to cybersecurity awareness and training opportunities. Most leaders (86%) say their employees view security awareness and training well, with 55% saying “very well.”
While this adoption is good news, several factors can make (or break) security awareness and training programs, regardless of how open employees are to the idea. Many leaders mistakenly believe that introducing a security awareness program will automatically change user behavior. Management needs to clarify and communicate the vision and goals of the program, repeat them often, and this information needs to come from more than just your CISO. When leaders across the business strongly support security awareness and training, organizations may see significant or significant improvements after implementation. More than 90% of respondents who said they had “broad” leadership support reported some or significant progress once the program was introduced.
Choose the right training format and delivery schedule
Safety awareness and training should be deliberate and inclusive; the format and delivery schedule you choose will impact the success of your program. As evidence that security awareness and training is a straightforward and well-considered activity in many organizations, 75% of respondents say they plan their campaigns in advance, and an average of three hours of training per year is considered sufficient. Eighty-one percent (81%) of organizations conduct security awareness and employee training on a monthly or quarterly basis. That routine provides refresher and refresher opportunities as well as new training on emerging threats and industry-specific topics.
Include engaging content
While most organizations are satisfied with their current security awareness and training service, those that are specific or dissatisfied cite a lack of engaging content (41%) as the main reason. Your security awareness and training program should be unique to your business and include content relevant to business needs. However, certain pieces of cybersecurity knowledge should be included in all training efforts. All systems must address key areas of concern, such as phishing attacks, ransomware, social engineering, remote work, passwords and authentication, and more.
Measure (and re-evaluate) security awareness and training efforts
Security training measures play a leading role in the fight against cybercrime. Related efforts help IT, security, and compliance leaders build a cyber-aware culture, giving employees the knowledge they need to recognize and avoid becoming victims of attacks.
If you have an existing plan, revisit content and delivery methods periodically to ensure you are addressing the right topics and evolving the effort to meet the changing needs of the organization. If you haven’t implemented enterprise-wide security awareness and training, consider whether you want to develop it internally or work with a vendor. There are high-quality SaaS-based offerings available that deliver a comprehensive and timely curriculum. Look for training tools that combine campaign and activity tracking with easy-to-use reporting, a control interface, and the ability to customize or integrate a product.
The threat landscape will intensify in the future, making it imperative that each individual help prevent breaches. Involving the entire organization in cyber security efforts benefits everyone.
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