There seems to be no end to cybersecurity threats. You can come up with several methods and procedures to prevent the breach of security and yet still be met with the same problem again and again. Hackers have progressed their skills over the time that it is difficult for businesses to match their pace and find new ways to protect from cyber-attacks.
Your employees can work as the companies shield,-they can be the guards that can either protect your company’s assets from being contaminated or bring forth and allow these cyber-attacks to run wild over valuable data the security of which is the very pillar a company is built upon.
That is why it is extremely crucial to train your employees how to handle cybersecurity for the sake of protecting your company from being a victim of security breaches. It is very much possible that even though your employees are careful in not letting any virus inflict their devices, they might be unconsciously allowing the cyber damage to spread through by opening certain websites or emails. If they are not vigilant enough and let the threat slide into the company’s data system, it could take days or even weeks to cure the damages which would lead to an inevitable downslide of your companies progress.
Fortunately enough, the training required to avoid such a situation is quite simple-however, there is a fine line between differentiating potential cyber threats amongst countless harmless ones which is why a constant reminder must be strictly followed to counter these attacks amid the employees. Here are the top tips that can help train your employees
Downloading Unauthorized Softwares
Many employees are used to downloading software and such at their homes which is why they are not aware of the dangerous drawbacks that are caused by downloading unlicensed software at the workplace. There is a high risk that such unlicensed software can creep into the company’s data and corrupt it. Employees must be trained not to install any unauthorized software during work or at home on work devices that could lead to potential risks of being hacked.
Changing Passwords
In order to strengthen the security, changing passwords every other time (one or twice within a couple of months at least) can be really efficient to avoid letting hackers rack into the data system. However, several employees change the password to something similar than the one used before which in turn gives the hacker a relative idea on what the new password could be which is why it is much better to create unique passwords with numbers or symbols that can make it unpredictable for the hacker to decode.
Notify any Changes
Employees must be trained to notice any strange occurrences happening in their computers- they could be minor details such as the computer running slow or showing peculiar errors or glitches etc; any of them could be a sign of a cyber threat that might’ve entered into the computer and could possibly be spreading. In such an event, employees are to notify their company superiors about these occurrences’ and let the IT team work on and manage the issue.
Scam Emails and Phishing
It is important that your employees are aware of phishing or scam emails- it is one of the most dangerous infiltration methods which can ultimately creep into any cyber system and let the hackers wreak havoc with valuable data as much as they please just through one click onto these fraud links. Your employees must be educated on knowing which sites and emails should be opened and to avoid opening any suspicious email that they do not recognize. An example of these could be emails that look strange with peculiars spellings or symbols or those that do not pass through their anti-virus program test.
Hire a Professional Trainer
It is beneficial to employ a trainer that can instruct on all the aspects of cybersecurity and provide the knowledge on how to practice and prepare for any cyber threat strike that might ever occur. Furthermore, this procedure should be a continual process. Employing a professional for training once or twice a year can help out in several ways-it would refresh the practices of those who have been trained before, train the newly recruited employees and the trainer can also inform them about the latest cyber-attacks which can help them in figuring out a solution to avoid and prevent these viruses from entering their cyber systems.
Put their Knowledge to a Test
After being briefly informed about the aspects of cybersecurity, test out your employees’ knowledge in order to assess how much information they have gained and how many of them have truly understood the basic elements and practices of cybersecurity. Their results will help you judge how effective cybersecurity training has been for them and can also determine the number of times the need for such training would be required in the near future.
‘Live Fire’ Exercises
Another efficient way to test your employees is to set them up in a real-life cybersecurity breach situation by sending them fake spam or phishing emails, created by their IT department or any other acquainted company. This is used in order to gauge the reactions of the employees dealing with this situation in real time and judge them according to their actions to avert this crisis. The results could lead to the number of people who made mistakes and hence they can be coached on how to avoid making the same mistakes again.
Fortify Computer Resources
Train the employees to be responsible for looking after their computers from being stolen-they must lock it up or keep them secure in a safe location. It is necessary to backup data regularly and keep it in a safe place so as to not lose important data. It is also crucial to update virus protection software that should be installed in every company’s computers.
Spread the Awareness
One wrong click on an unknown link can cause mayhem and even, in some cases, the downfall of the company. That is why a continuous reminder of the need to be aware of the potential cyber-attacks is crucial amongst the mindset of your employees. Some companies distribute newsletters to each employee that discusses cybersecurity and its prevention methods in depth. Case studies can also be conducted to suggest ways to protect your computer security.
If these methods and efficient training get educated amongst your employees, you will have a smooth control of all your company’s data and will minimize the risks of having any cybersecurity breaches. Even though it is impossible to completely end the cyber-attacks, vigilant training must be continued at all times to maximize the strength of your cyber security.
Jenny Harrison is a passionate tech and business blogger. She loves to engage with readers who are seeking technology and business and marketing related information on the internet. She is a featured blogger at various high authority blogs and magazines in which she shared her research and experience with the vast online community. Currently she is associated with Cybersecurity consulting company Mars Technology. Follow her on twitter for more updates.
Comment here