One of the most important assets in every business are the employees, but they can also be the weakest link in your cybersecurityframework. One wrong click in a malicious email can unleash malware into your entire network and compromise all of your sensitive data and confidential files. However, there is a way to ensure that your employees are capable of contributing to the safety and security of your business, and that is through user awareness training.
User awareness training is comprised of two essential components: educating your employees about cybersecurity threats and how to recognize and avoid them; and developing a comprehensive cybersecurity policy and regularly updating it. The first component, educating your workforce, is critical because they are the ones who can be the weakest link in the chain.
Cybercriminals are clever, and they will do whatever they can to gain access to your data and exploit your network. Cybersecurity is the responsibility of every single person in your organization, and even the tiniest mistakes can have devastating results. So staying up to date on the threats that exist, regularly educating your employees, and even utilizing software to test your employees’ cybersecurity awareness is crucial for maintaining the integrity of your network and data.
In addition to educating your employees, you also need to develop a detailed cybersecurity policy to outlines all of your cybersecurity measures and best practices that employees must follow, and make sure they review that policy on an annual basis.
This policy should cover everything from acceptable use of company equipment; to password requirements; to what kind of firewall and antivirus protections need to be in place and how often they need to be updated. The difference between the policy and training is that the policy tends to be more formal and incredibly detailed, where the training needs to be more engaging and digestible for your employees to truly retain what they need to know.
User awareness training is something that every business needs but not every business actually does. One cybersecurity incident can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and can lead to loss of customers, loss of revenue, and even the permanent closure of your business. Don’t take any risks with your company – contact TAG Solutions today to learn how we can help educate your employees and establish a cybersecurity plan that ensures the safety and security of your network.