2 min read
Businesses invest thousands of dollars on the latest technology to protect their business, but often miss one key element in cybersecurity: their employees. Your employees are either the strongest or weakest link in your organization’s cybersecurity. Since employees have direct access to your networks and devices, they can protect or cause damage to your security.
Employees that are not trained in basic cybersecurity protocols are very dangerous to your business' security. Vital information can be leaked like login credentials, credit card numbers, and more. Additionally, employees can unknowingly click on malicious links and download ransomware, malware and other damaging software into your business.
There are several actionable steps organizations can take to make employees the strongest link in their security chain. Some of the best tips to improve your cybersecurity with your employees include:
- Incentivizing employees
- Creating cybersecurity protocols
- Creating awareness and training programs
Incentivize employees:
For most employees, cybersecurity is not their main concern or role in the business. Many employees often don't pay attention during annual training or similar events. Your organization needs to incentivize following good cyber hygiene. This can come in the form of small gifts, recognition within the company, or other incentives.
By incentivizing your employees to follow good cyber hygiene, your employees will be more likely to take the necessary precautions to protect your business. This ultimately helps to create a cyber-aware culture in your business.
Create a Cybersecurity Policy:
A cybersecurity policy is a document that outlines the rules and regulations an organization must follow to protect its systems and data. This document should be created with input from employees at all company levels.
When employees are aware of the cybersecurity policy, they are more likely to comply with the rules and be less likely to fall for phishing scams or other malicious attacks. Additionally, a cybersecurity policy can help protect your business from legal action in case of a data breach.
Create Awareness and Training Programs:
One of the most important steps an organization can take to improve cybersecurity is to create employee awareness and training programs. These programs should be designed to educate employees on cyber security basics, such as identifying a phishing email and what to do if they encounter a malware attack.
Employees are more likely to comply with policies and be less susceptible to attacks when they have a basic understanding of cybersecurity. Additionally, these programs can help your business in the event of a data breach. Having employees who know how to respond can minimize the damage caused by an attack.
In conclusion, businesses need to take action to make their employees the strongest link in their security chain. Businesses can protect their systems and data from cyberattacks by incentivizing employees, creating policies and training programs, and raising awareness. This can help make your employees the best cybersecurity defense in your company. Get a free consultation to learn more about how to train your employees on cybersecurity properly.
