The single most significant cyber vulnerability to your business is your workforce. You could invest millions in securing your IT systems (Equifax, Sony, Marriot, NHS), to name a few. Still, the fact is that for all the best technology solutions out there, your staff is the number one vulnerability to your systems.
In this article, you will learn some of the simple steps you can take to reduce the risk significantly by educating your staff on the dangers of Cyber Security.
1:Simulated Attacks
First, establishing a baseline of your risk is required. There are a few platforms that can help with this
. What this entails is running simulated cyber attacks on your business network.
The first type of simulated attack is a physical attack called a USB drop. This is where USB drives are left somewhere in or around your workplace. The drives themselves have a unique piece of software that reports b
ack to a central system if they're plugged into a computer. The report will log the user who picked the drive up and attached it to a computer on your corporate network.
The second type of simulated attack is email phishing. Many simulation platforms allow you to send out dummy email phishing tests to your staff. The purpose is to see who opens, clicks the link, and ultimately falls victim to this test. This allows you to identify users who require email phishing training and raise awareness of what not to click on.
2: Ongoing training
While these simulation platforms are great at profiling risks within the organization, they must be combined with proper user training. Ultimately there should be a two-pronged approach here.
First, many simulation platforms will have a training module built where cybersecurity training can be automated via a web portal. They also include content libraries on what type of training you want to deliver through the platform.
The other training is in-person training, which works well if scheduled quarterly. Lunch and learns work best as you can get a level of interaction with your colleagues and find out what types of questions they may have in their minds in regards to the threats of cybersecurity.
3: Protection through policy.
The third and final measure is that the workplace has the correct policies and procedures. This can be as basic as ensuring everyone reads, understands, and has read your cybersecurity policy. Of course, not all small businesses have the time to implement a cybersecurity policy, and that's where we can help.