In today’s connected world, businesses are constantly faced with increasingly sophisticated cyberthreats. But who is responsible for protecting your data? Who should be trained to recognise and counter these attacks? The answer is simple: every employee, from managers to junior staff. When should you take action? Now, before an attack strikes. Where might it happen? In every corner of your company, because cyberthreats don’t recognise boundaries. And why should you ultimately take action ? The simple answer, is to avoid financial losses, data leaks and reputational damage that could be irreversible. This article will guide you through the crucial steps involved in raising your teams’ awareness of cybersecurity, detailing why awareness is essential, determining the key elements of effective training and the essential foundations of a good cybersecurity culture.
Why do you need to educate your employees about cybersecurity?
Cyberattacks are now one of the main threats facing businesses of all sizes. Whether it’s phishing, ransomware or other forms of cybercrime, the consequences of a security breach can be catastrophic. But why is it so crucial to make your employees aware of these dangers? Quite simply because a large proportion of security breaches are the result of human error. With the right training, however, these risks can be significantly reduced.
Understanding threats: every employee needs to understand that cyberthreats are real and can be found everywhere. Phishing, for example, is one of the most common tactics used by cybercriminals. Without proper training, an employee could easily be duped by a misleading email, compromising sensitive company data.
Risk reduction: by training your teams, you not only reduce the risk of human error, but also strengthen your company’s defences against attacks. A well-trained team is able to recognise threats and take appropriate measures to avoid them.
Regulatory compliance: many industries are subject to strict cybersecurity regulations. Making your employees aware of these requirements is not only good practice, it is often a legal obligation. In Switzerland, the Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP), which was revised in 2023, imposes strict obligations on the management of personal data.
Protecting your reputation: a security breach can seriously damage a company’s reputation. Customers, partners and investors quickly lose confidence when a company fails to protect its data. Raising awareness among your teams is therefore an effective way of protecting your company’s image.
Key aspects to include in cybersecurity training
Once you have understood the importance of raising awareness among your employees, it is time to determine what information needs to be included in a cybersecurity training course. The topics should cover the basics, but also go into greater depth to ensure complete protection.
Security policies
The first step in creating a culture of cybersecurity is to establish clear and understandable security policies. These policies must be accessible to all employees and explained in such a way that they are easy to follow.
- Policy development: security policies should include guidelines on password management, use of personal devices, sharing of sensitive information and the protocols to be followed in the event of a threat being detected. It is essential that these policies are regularly updated to reflect the latest security threats and practices.
- Policy communication: once policies have been drawn up, they must be clearly communicated to all employees and periodically reiterated. This can be done through training sessions, manuals or online guides. The aim is to ensure that every employee understands what is expected of them.
Understanding threats and risks
To be effective, employees need to understand the types of threats they may encounter and the associated risks. Training should cover the most common threats, such as phishing, ransomware, malware and DDoS attacks.
- Phishing: attempts are made to deceive the user in order to obtain sensitive information by pretending to be a trusted entity.
- Ransomware: deployment of malicious software that takes user data hostage by encrypting it, demanding a ransom to release it.
- Malware: software that is designed to damage or disrupt computer systems.
- DDoS attacks: saturation of a system’s resources to render it unavailable.
- Spyware: spyware that collects information about users without their knowledge.
For additional resources on the types of cyberattacks and how to prevent them, you can consult the Swiss organisation responsible for information security.
Security protocols and best practices
Practising good security doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Training must therefore instil simple but effective security practices that every employee can adopt.
- Password management: passwords often form the first line of defence against cyberattacks. Employees need to be trained to create strong, unique passwords for each account, and to use password managers to store their information securely.
- Multi-factor authentication: multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of identification – such as a code sent by SMS or a fingerprint – in addition to the password. Employees need to understand the importance of this practice and how to implement it.
- Source verification: employees must be trained to verify sources before clicking on links or downloading files. This includes checking email addresses and URLs to ensure they come from legitimate sources.
Password and access management
Managing passwords and access is an essential task when securing corporate systems. Poor access management can lead to costly and compromising data breaches.
- Using password managers: password managers are tools for creating, storing and managing complex passwords. These tools simplify the way in which passwords are managed at the same time as improving overall security. Employees need to be trained to use these tools to protect their business and personal accounts. Solutions such as Password Safe are renowned for their security and ease of use.
- Change passwords regularly: passwords should be regularly changed to minimise the risk of compromise. Employees should be encouraged to change their passwords every three to six months and they should never reuse the same passwords for different accounts.
- Access control: access control policies need to be strict and clearly defined. Employees must understand that they only require access to the information and systems that they need to do their job. Any requests for additional access must go through a validation procedure.
Recognising and avoiding phishing attacks
Phishing is one of the most common and dangerous threats that business faces. Training your employees to recognise and avoid phishing attempts is crucial to protecting your data.
- Recognising phishing e-mails: they are often designed to appear legitimate, but contain telltale signs such as spelling mistakes, suspicious e-mail addresses, or unusual links. Employees must learn to identify these signs to avoid falling into the trap.
- Reporting suspicious e-mails: it is crucial that employees know how to report suspicious e-mails to the IT security team. A prompt report can help prevent an attack before it causes damage. To take a look at some specific examples and discover tips on recognising phishing attempts, you can visit phishing.org.
Foundations of cybersecurity awareness
Raising awareness about cybersecurity is more than just initial training. It’s an ongoing effort to educate employees about current threats and the best practices that can be adopted to avoid them. Here are the basics that every information awareness programme should cover:
- Understanding threats and risks: employees need to be aware of the different types of cyberattack and their potential consequences for the company.
- Security protocols and best practices: establishing clear security protocols is essential for effective protection.
- Password and access management: the use of tools such as SecureSafe, and compliance with regular password change policies, are essential.
- Recognising and avoiding phishing attempts: employees need to know how to identify phishing attempts to avoid the pitfalls.
The importance of raising awareness
Cybersecurity awareness is a key part of protecting your company from digital threats. By investing in ongoing training for your teams, you’re not only strengthening the security of your systems and data, but also helping to create a culture of security within your organisation. Adopting a proactive and continuous process to raise awareness is essential if you want to stay ahead of cybercriminals and ensure your company’s resilience in the face of cybersecurity challenges.