Developing Cybersecurity-Aware Employees To Protect Your Business

With more and more businesses adopting remote working models, there’s an increased focus on having effective cybersecurity measures in place. With employees working from their homes or other locations, the threats to businesses are increasing.

An overwhelming 90% of cyberattacks happen as a result of human error, making it even more important that your employees feel knowledgeable and confident about cybersecurity. Through training and clear guidance, you can reduce the threat of cyberattacks to your business, and strengthen your overall resilience.

Here are some suggestions for raising cybersecurity awareness amongst your employees.

Identify the threats to your business

To ensure your business is protected from cybersecurity threats, you need to understand what they are and how they could impact your business. Even small businesses are vulnerable to security threats, making it vital to put safeguards in place.

Some of the major cybersecurity threats businesses face today include malware and phishing scams and ransomware. These types of attacks can occur easily as a result of human error, and it’s important that you recognize the potential risks for your business so that appropriate measures can be taken.

Provide the right training to your employees

Cyberattacks are growing in sophistication, and if your employees don’t know what to look out for, they become a liability for your business – especially when they’re working off-site. Providing the right cybersecurity training can help employees feel more confident in identifying potential risks, and helps them understand the actions that need to be taken if they come into contact with something suspicious.

If your business has made the move to remote working, you will need to provide updated training, while also ensuring the infrastructure is in place to protect your systems.

Publish regular reminders and updates

Providing training to your employees can help equip them with better cybersecurity knowledge, but training alone won’t protect your business. You’ll need to provide regular updates and reminders to ensure your employees are aware of the latest risks, and any policies that have been updated in line with emerging threats. Making cybersecurity an ongoing topic of discussion can normalize it for your employees, helping them make more informed choices at work, and in their lives outside of work too.

Review the situation regularly

As new threats emerge regularly, your business will need an ongoing strategy for cybersecurity, including dealing with breaches and interruptions to your service. Working with an IT company with experience in managing these types of disruptions can help you benefit from round-the-clock support, knowing you’ll be up and running again in no time. Many businesses look to outsourcing their IT to maintain their service while benefiting from the expertise that can keep their business safe.

Cyberattacks have the potential to seriously damage a business, both financially and on a reputational level. With the right measures put in place to protect your business, you can feel confident knowing your business is in the best place to defend against attacks both now, and in the future.