As cyber attacks and attack vectors continue to evolve, it is now more important than ever to bring the benefits of cyber security training to your business. To prove that point, Splunk reports that 65% of organizations have experienced an increase in cyber attacks during the pandemic.
The rise of remote work has also created challenges for IT and security leaders, with 78% of them stating that remote workers are much harder to secure than those working on-premises.
Whether working remotely, in the office, or using a hybrid working strategy, a cybersecurity awareness training program is the most effective way to educate employees about the various types of cyber threats, how to recognize them, and how to defend your organization against them.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the top benefits of security awareness training for your business.
The Top Benefits of Security Awareness Training
1. Expand Your Security Perimeter
Most cybersecurity detection tools are technological in nature. But humans can be equally skilled in spotting potential attacks, especially those that prey on human psychology.
Cyber awareness training can transform each employee into an additional layer of protection. When combined, these layers of security form a distributed network of frontline defense across your entire organization.
2. Avoid Expensive Downtime
Most security incidents result in downtime – and it can take a lot of time, money, and resources to get back to business as usual. Employees with a grasp of cybersecurity principles can help keep IT infrastructure operational in the face of cyber threats.
By applying the knowledge gained from an awareness training program, educated end users can effectively diffuse – and even eliminate – the potential for disruptive events.
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3. Empower Your Workforce
Knowledge and confidence go hand-in-hand. By equipping your personnel with an understanding of the cyber crime landscape, you’ll reduce their anxieties and uncertainties when confronted with a threat.
It’s also essential to keep their knowledge of emerging threats relevant with additional training when necessary. Staying on top of the dangers can go a long way in maintaining the user confidence needed to safeguard your organization’s sensitive data.
4. Foster a Better Security Culture
Turning information security into a core company value is an actionable way to reduce risk. By emphasizing the importance of security awareness training for your workforce, it will become central in the way people think and act in the workplace.
Now is the pivotal moment to encourage this paradigm shift: Security breaches and cyber attacks have been steadily on the rise since the beginning of the pandemic. This is largely attributed to an increasingly remote workforce and a greater dependence on the Internet of Things (IoT).
5. Reduce the Chance of Data Breaches
According to the IBM Cyber Security Intelligence Index Report, 95% of all data breaches are the result of human error. That’s an incredible amount when you consider the average cost of a data breach and the potential to have avoided it.
In 2021, the average data breach cost businesses $4.24 million, a 10% increase over 2020’s figure and a 17-year high. This worrying trend is expected to continue into 2022 and beyond as more and more business is conducted online.
This fact alone highlights the unavoidable need for a strong security posture. One of the most effective security solutions to reduce the chance of a data breach is to teach employees how to recognize early signs of danger. By doing so, you can dramatically reduce the likelihood of a breach.
6. Prevent Cyber Attacks
The term “cyber attack” is a catch-all for any offensive maneuver directed at computer networks, infrastructure, personal devices, or an information system.
There are many types of cyber attacks, ranging from Trojan viruses to ransomware, SQL injections to social engineering attacks.
The latter is a particular favorite among hackers. Social engineering attacks—a category which includes the famous phishing scam—aims to exploit human psychology and bypass the technical complexities of a software-based hack.
That’s why an effective cyber awareness training program will include simulated phishing in the training content. This is when an organization orchestrates a mock-deceptive email blast to its employees. The idea is to test the staff’s response to phishing email attacks and correct any weaknesses found.
7. Maintain Regulatory Compliance
Depending on your industry, your organization may be responsible for maintaining rigorous cybersecurity compliance regulations. Some businesses are required to adhere to guidelines from multiple regulatory authorities such as HIPAA, NIST, ISO and GDPR, among others.
In the event of a security breach, you may be subject to exorbitant fines, penalties, and reputational damage – it’s truly a situation no company wants to find itself in.
Security awareness training programs can help maintain compliance standards, especially if you handle sensitive, classified, or personal information on a regular basis. Educated staff will be better equipped to properly deal with this kind of data and maintain compliance.
8. Build Consumer Trust
The average consumer is becoming more and more savvy when it comes to the dangers of cyber threats. And it’s no wonder: With so much personal data at stake, people are increasingly cautious with whom they do business. That’s why a robust security posture is essential to remain competitive.
In fact, according to one Ponemon Institute study, 31% of consumers reported that they severed a relationship with a company in the aftermath of a data breach. Meanwhile, a whopping 57% said that they no longer trusted a business that had experienced one or more security breaches.
Reduce Breaches and Attacks With Cyber Awareness Training
Improve your security culture with a security awareness program from Protek.
Reap the Benefits of Security Awareness Training With Protek
In a single instant, a data breach can cost your organization millions of dollars, ruin your reputation, and irreparably damage critical data and infrastructure.
As part of a robust security posture, cyber awareness training is a cost-effective approach to dramatically reducing the chance and severity of a data breach.
If you’re looking to empower your employees, prevent cyber attacks, and build consumer trust, it’s time to leverage the power of cybersecurity training.
At Protek, we’ve been helping businesses improve their security posture for more than a decade. Contact our cybersecurity experts today to learn more about our cyber awareness training programs.