Cybercrime is here to stay. Hacking methods are becoming increasingly sophisticated as cybercriminals advance their tactics. This makes cybersecurity training an essential element of a business security policy. Here is how your business can implement effective cybersecurity training measures. 

Establish a Cybersecurity Policy

Develop a cybersecurity policy for your business so it’s easy for employees to understand what is required of them when it comes to online practices. Use this as a foundation for your business’s cybersecurity training program.

For the training program to be successful, you will need to get buy-in from leadership. Explain the the benefits of a cybersecurity training program, and the cost of not training employees properly. Once you have management on board, have them complete the training program before implementing company-wide to get better adoption from staff.

Threat Identification and Reporting

Cyber threat identification and reporting are the basis of preventing attacks. So, businesses should train employees to recognize potential threats. Although recognizing phishing emails may seem easy, human error is one of the leading causes of cyberattacks.

Employers should look at cybersecurity training as a way to avert losses. Businesses should aim at eliminating risky employee behaviors and increasing vigilance. Focus on training that addresses immediate security dangers such as insider threats, phishing, and ransomware.

Cybersecurity training should be mandatory and ongoing. A single untrained employee poses a threat to the whole network. Be sure to include training when onboarding new hires to familiarize them with the company's cybersecurity policy.

Passwords and Authentication Enforcement

Businesses should enforce strong password policies to deter hackers and password guessers. Here are a few examples of good password behavior:

• Do not repeat passwords
• Do not keep lists of passwords in unsecured documents
• Change passwords regularly
• Longer passwords with letters, numbers and special characters are harder to guess

Companies can also implement multi-layered authentication systems to double verify those who request network access. Passwords alone may not be effective at stopping unauthorized network visitors. With two-factor authentication, the correct password prompts the network to issue a login code for confirmation.  The code is shared via a secure email or text registered with the user.

Password managers are great insurance tools against poor user management. They can securely store passwords and suggest stronger passwords when an employee chooses a weak one. Companies that invest in password managers worry less about passwords falling into the wrong hands.

Practice Attacks

Practice attacks are essential to ascertain the effectiveness of a business's cybersecurity policy. These are friendly (ethical) hacking attempts that simulate an attack on the network to exploit its vulnerabilities.

Some examples of common practice attacks include the following:

1.   Network Testing

This type of testing prevents unauthorized access to servers and systems by finding and eliminating network vulnerabilities. Network testing could involve a simple vulnerability assessment aimed at unearthing security vulnerabilities and other flows in the network. Penetration testing is more detailed and involves attacking your network to find real-time vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit. 

2.   Application Testing

Company networks may be very secure but still plagued by vulnerabilities caused by unsecured applications and software. With so many applications used daily, this becomes critical. Web and mobile application testing identify security vulnerabilities and ensures that they remain compliant with cybersecurity laws.

3.   Social Engineering

Social engineering tries to exploit the human element of the network by tricking and gauging users' responses. Research has found that users may be the weakest link in a network.

Some of the tests in social engineering include sending phishing emails, calls, SMSs, and any other mediums that hackers use to employees. The primary purpose of such an assessment is to determine employee response and train them accordingly.

Take Away

Cybersecurity training is essential for companies to protect their data and clients. In the long run, diagnosing and fixing vulnerabilities ahead of time will save you more time and money than trying to recover from a cyber attack's financial, legal, and business loss consequences.

Lutz Tech trains businesses on the best approaches to cybersecurity to keep your business and information better protected. Contact us if you have any questions or learn more about our cybersecurity education services.