With the evolving hacking events around us, we can see the news regarding organizations being hacked around the world. Despite of investing millions of dollars on technology, many of them avoid human factor that is the weakest link in Cyber security. Organizations recruit employees in different departments, but they cannot assume that they have enough knowledge about to secure official and personal data. Hackers are using sophisticated techniques to breach the network & server to steal confidential information. At that point, security training seems helpful to create awareness in employees as well users/customers. It is the duty of an organization to make their customers aware about basic security precautions for a safe browsing experience.
The White House also declared, “The cyber threat is one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation”.
The Worst Scenario Due To Lack Of Training:
We discussed above that the human factor, which can cause an unavoidable situation in organization if employees are not well trained. One of the greatest risks to information security is employees working in your company. With the lack of proper training, hackers smartly take advantage of innocent employees and may use different sophisticated hacking techniques to make them a victim. Generally, employees make use of Smartphone; open Wi-Fi, social media without having knowledge of security factors. Such innocent employees may become victim of a phishing attack, eavesdropping, data tampering, man-in-middle attack, and other hacking methods and as a result, organizations may loss brand reputation as well as financial losses.
Training Types And Topics:
With the development of technology, Training has transformed in many ways, for example, classroom training, sending helpful hints in a weekly/monthly email, visual aids, security awareness website, role-playing, simulations, and online sessions. The type of training can differ as per the time available. Training time can depend on the efficiency and the scope of the training material. Organizations should take company staff as well IT staff for training purpose because both training topics may differ. IT staff requires more in-depth training regarding IT system and administration.
The security training should include as many as topics, there are fewer topics should be considered like organization policies, procedures, and guidelines. The topics must comprise different hacking techniques, overview of Cyber crime, social engineering, software vulnerabilities, intrusion testing, overview of Unified threat management, importance of data security, password security, desktop security, indication of virus, malware, Trojans, spyware, adware, knowledge of examples of recent hacking incidents, copyrights.
Advantages Of Cyber Security Training:
From the above information, it is quite necessary for an organization to have an idea of limitless benefits arise from a well-planned and executed training program. It is quite necessary to understand concept between the education and training because education only offers learning and subject understanding while training makes employees train in such a manner that they can perform essential functions effectively. Here, few advantages are discussed that will arise from Cyber security training.
Avoid Potential Risk:
When employees attend and understand the training concept, they will get knowledge about web safety and know about the online behavior. Employee awareness can avoid potential risks arise due to lack of proper knowledge. IT staff can also identify the current and potential security concerns. It is believed that insider employee is a weakest link in security breach which organization proves wrong with the proper employee awareness. During security training, you can set a simulation or real hacking incident, which compels participants to think like a hacker and keep them one-step ahead of hackers.
Build A Secure Environment:
If the organization has provided proper Cyber security training then there are chances of a strong security environment inside an organization. There will be less security breaches as well as the associated cost will also diminish. The IT staff can take immediate action once a breach occurred, which will save customer’s valuable information because customer information seems a ripe fruit for attackers. It will improve the execution of your organization’s information security policies, process, standards, and checksums.
Support Of Senior Management Level:
Cyber security training is not only for lower and for middle management, but also considers senior management staff harmonization. There should be a clear and smooth coordination between lower and senior management level. It also demonstrates the commitment from management to safe information resources. Senior staff should be reported about the incident occurred and mull over steps to be taken against it with proper coordination. Under the leadership of senior management, IT staff and other staff will be motivated and follow good security behavior with effective decision-making.
Secure Customers In A Better Way:
Customer is the asset of any company. At the current time, where online safety becomes a necessary, organization must look upon customer’s valuable information that travels between the server and the website. By building security culture, organization can motivate customers, contractors, employees. A satisfied customer always works as a mouth publicity and will work as an asset of the company. The organization can ensure their customers that how much they care about their web protection. The organization should also publish a note of safety precaution on the website for customers while interacting with the web world.
Bring Employee Awareness:
With proper training, employees can understand about surfing behavior, organization policy about web security, different attacker techniques, usage of different devices, and interaction with social media. Proper security training brings awareness in employees, which will be an advantage to the company in the long period.
Conclusion:
There are few signs when organization can be sure about the success of a Cyber security-training program. Cyber security training program can only be measured when employees keep their computers locked, avoid phishing mail and malicious download, create strong password, reporting of suspicious mail or phone calls to the particular department. If the above things start to happen in your organization, then it is proved that the vested money in training program did not go in vain.
