Is it 2021 yet?
We hope you will have a wonderful and successful new year, and we hope it is less chaotic than 2020.
Years ago, I was on a trip with leaders in our company. We were walking down a sidewalk when a car jumped the curb in front of us. I saw one of those traveling with us grab the CEO of our company (who was deep in conversation and did not see the car) and pull him to safety. I later learned the person who protected our CEO was a trained security guard tasked to keep our CEO safe. I am sure most of us wish we had somebody who would keep us safe when there is danger lurking in our daily business endeavors.
There is a way to keep us safe from some risks that affect our business each day: Cybersecurity awareness training. With everything the pandemic handed us, including remote work with it's increased risk, and tight budgets--small businesses can't afford to not have training for their team.
A cybersecurity attack costs businesses of all sizes $200,000 on average. Nearly one in four consumers (23%) will stop doing business with a company that suffers a breach.
Cybercriminals know the weakest part of your cybersecurity is your employees, making humans a prime target for cyber-crime. Studies in the UK show 90% of data breaches are employee error. Phishing attacks are a prevalent and trendy way to take advantage of users that lack security awareness, and they account for nearly 30% of all data breaches in 2020.
What is Cybersecurity Awareness Training?
This training helps raise awareness of cyber threats, reduces the risks associated with cyber-attacks, and embeds a culture of security compliance in your organization.
The training needs to be informative and engaging to ensure your staff understands the importance of their role in your company’s data protection.
Why is Security Awareness Training needed?
The goal of security awareness training is to arm your staff with the knowledge they need to handle common threats. Employees shouldn’t be expected to train themselves on how to recognize and deal with threats. It is your responsibility as a leader to see that this training is provided. Teach your staff what your business considers risky or acceptable, what might be a threat, and how to respond.
Most employees don’t know the critical risk factors relating to data security and privacy. Some employees are misinformed or confused about what risky behaviors are; many don’t understand that cybersecurity is their responsibility, and even fewer understand sensitive data privacy best practices.
Benefits of Security Awareness Training
These days, security is everyone’s responsibility, but how can organizations keep up with the ever-changing threat landscape? Security awareness training is the best place to start. Training your staff with the information needed to recognize and react to cyber threats will reduce risk and embed a cybersecurity awareness culture.
Security awareness training will help your organizations to:
- Enhance your company’s resilience against cyber threats
- Reduce human error and security risks
- Create a shift in employee mindset and behavior change
- Improve information technology and security audit results
- Demonstrate regulatory compliance
Adept Solutions Can Help
Despite the growing threat of cyber-attacks, many small businesses neglect to implement this training. Reasons include difficulty in identifying the right program and a lack of employees’ time or interest in training. Yet, it is impossible to keep up with cyber-security threats when you are focused on operating and growing your business. Make it your top 2021 goal to offer your team cybersecurity awareness training.
My CEO had a security guard trained to keep him safe. Adept can work with you to provide training for your employees to help keep your company safe. Together, we can make sure everyone on your team is aware of the business risks we can encounter in our daily routines. For more information call 530-751-5100 or email help@adept-solutions.net
