Hacking attempts, data breaches, phishing scams… Internet fraud and cyber attacks are making headlines almost daily. Technical tools to block such attacks are becoming almost standard. Even the need for security awareness training within organisations is widely recognised. So why is cyber crime still increasing at an alarming rate? The answer is complex, but one factor is clear: Companies in particular need to choose their training providers carefully, to maximise the benefits of the training they are investing in. What should you look out for when choosing a security awareness training provider?
Experience in education
Quite often you see IT professionals with technical expertise or maybe even sales being called in to give company staff instructions on how to protect the company against cyber attacks. But are they really getting through to the average computer user? Are they able to put themselves in the shoes of a non-technical user? Choosing a company that can deliver online, on-demand training programmes that are designed by professionals with extensive training experience in this specific field, is absolutely necessary. Not only are such courses upgraded regularly, but they are also delivered in a way that describes technical hazards in everyday language.
Understanding your industry
Different industries operate in different ways, have different workflows and vulnerabilities. Given a choice, choose courses that have been designed for your industry, perhaps even your country or region, as these can take your specific security weaknesses into account.
Understanding your staff
Training courses – in any field – are rarely one-size-fits-all. Do you need training for frontliners? For managerial staff? For executives? One of the fundamentals of security awareness training is to make people understand that data security is a collective responsibility that involves each individual. Different training courses must therefore be designed for different levels within an organisation, in accordance with the level of responsibility that can or must be expected in each case.
Assessment of exposure and risks
When it comes to security, there is a reasonable degree of urgency. Although effective training is rarely one-off, as the nature and spread of threats change, it is important to get started, and to start off with immediate impact. Your training provider must be aware of your organisation’s degree of exposure to an attack, and where exactly the security gaps are. A thorough risk audit is the only way to establish that. Such an audit will assess your company’s organisational structure and technical protection, including such factors as whether your team is working strictly in-house or remotely, or both.
Review of your data security policy
Make sure to share your data security policy and procedures with your chosen training provider. This could help you eliminate impractical and ineffective measures that only cause inconvenience, and instead formulate simple, easy-to-follow steps that can be learned and implemented systematically.
Would you like to discuss your security awareness training needs? If so, give us a call or drop us a line.
