Despite increasing investments in cybersecurity tools, organizations of all sizes are struggling to stay ahead of today’s sophisticated threats. In addition, AI tools have introduced even more risks to organizational data. Malicious actors only need to find one vulnerability to infiltrate networks and compromise systems and data. It’s simply impossible for organizations to identify and close every gap in their defenses.
Then there’s the human factor. Humans have always been the weakest link in the security chain. All of the tools and policies in the world won’t eliminate the risks created by human error and carelessness. Unfortunately, many employees see security as a set of rules that make it harder for them to do their jobs.
Instead of taking a “you can’t do that” approach, organizations should create a culture of security by empowering employees with the knowledge required to protect company assets and maintain compliance with government and industry regulations.
When security becomes a priority instead of a nuisance or afterthought, organizations become more resilient to cyber threats. Empowering your team with the knowledge to recognize and respond to these new types of risks is key to maintaining a strong cybersecurity posture.
A Security Culture Starts at the Top
The IT manager will handle the technical side of security, but organizations should consider deploying an executive who is passionate about security to champion a security culture. This person should be tasked with marketing security across the organization and building a team of ambassadors to reinforce the message and garner support for security initiatives.
Reinforce the Security Culture with Training
People are more likely to embrace what they understand. Employees don’t need to know the finer points of a next-generation firewall, but they should have a general idea of their role in keeping the organization safe. That’s why security awareness training is an essential part of reinforcing a security culture.
Security awareness training should explain the threats organizations face, using data the average person can understand. It should cover ransomware, phishing scams and other types of attacks and explain the potential impact of these threats, including the possibility of downsizing due to lost revenue.
Employees need to know that everyone is responsible for following security best practices. Security awareness training should cover everything from the importance of strong passwords to reporting incidents and suspicious activity. It should also explain the organization’s security policies and the consequences of not following them.
High-Quality Training, Repeated Regularly
Furthermore, security awareness training shouldn’t be a boring, box-checking exercise. In an Osterman Research study, training that users considered to be “very interesting” was 13 times more likely to bring about fundamental changes in security practices.
Cerium has partnered with KnowBe4, an industry-leading provider of security training content, to provide interactive learning modules, videos, games and more that are designed to be engaging and informative. KnowBe4 even has an original streaming series called “The Inside Man” that won a gold medal in the corporate media category at the Cannes Film Festival.
Conclusion
Security is about more than technology and rules. It must be part of the culture, starting at the top. Regular security awareness training helps create a culture of security that involves and empowers your entire team, reducing the risk of a costly incident.
