Cybercriminals never seem to give up, and for a good reason: their chances of success are high enough to be profitable. According to a recent study titled “IT Threats and Data Breaches,” 94% of firms have encountered some form of “external danger.”
After spam, the most often reported cyber threats were viruses, worms, spyware, phishing attacks, and network penetration. Despite being less common, corporate espionage written by around one-fifth of poll respondents.
As a result, a new business has emerged: cybersecurity training by cybersecurity company Durham NC for employees. While it is true that some employees would click on anything, it is still necessary for firms to educate them. So, here’s a little primer on how to get started.
Employee Cybersecurity Checklist
- It’s vital to put your staff to the test regarding their understanding of cybercrime, the dangers of data breaches, and their role in keeping the firm and themselves secure. Your employees must be aware of the following:
- They should never start or install software on a work computer when browsing a website that requests it.
- Malicious emails may appear from a coworker or supervisor, encouraging or urging them to engage in unsafe behavior.
- Reusing passwords across many websites is not an intelligent idea.
- Malware typically originates from legitimate websites that they routinely visit.
- As a direct approach, many cybercriminals employ “social engineering.” Manipulation is described in this context as influencing employees to reveal confidential information. It works because it is easier to find incredibly trusting people than it is to gain access to a system through technical means.
Typical Techniques
- Some of the most widely used social engineering approaches are as follows:
- Assuming the identity of a friend, coworker, or boss,
- I’m asking for help.
- Notifying you that there is an issue with your account that demands the verification of personal information, and
- Informing you that you have won a prize, but you must input your bank account information to receive it.
- Employee cybersecurity training requires more than just educating them on how to defend themselves; it also necessitates understanding why it all matters. In addition, they must be aware of the stakes and how a significant breach will affect each employee.
Finding a Security Breach
Employees may be unaware that they have enabled a cyberattack; therefore, they must be trained to recognize a breach if one occurs.
It’s also a good idea to inform staff what they should do if they discover a breach. You may, for example, instruct them to disconnect the PC from the network immediately and then contact the IT team. Even if the breach turns out to be a false alarm, commend the employee for responding quickly to a reported problem.
A True Assault
Policies and procedures for dealing with a real-world cyberattack must be developed in advance. It should include a documented remediation approach that is regularly examined and updated.
It’s also a good idea to have procedures in place to notify individuals who need to know when there’s a breach. The same is true for informing customers if the violation can compromise their data security.
Keep in mind that public disclosure about the breach may be required to prevent the story from leaking and becoming a scandal. But, again, a public relations professional can advise on the best ways to handle a security issue.
