Just imagine the sensitive information your business holds—information that competitors or hackers would love to get their hands on. From identity theft to ransomware attacks, a bit of security awareness can go a long way. It could be the difference between a major data breach and an educated employee pausing before clicking on a suspicious link.
Is Your Business Cybersecurity Aware?
Whether you run a big corporation or a small business, online defenses are crucial. This includes firewalls, encrypted software, strong passwords, and password managers. But all that effort can be undermined if one employee makes a mistake and unknowingly hands over critical information.
Security breaches can expose your company’s or customers’ credit card information, addresses, names, and more, damaging your reputation and causing financial losses. Since humans are fallible and hackers continually evolve their tactics, breaches happen more often than you might think. Fortunately, cybersecurity awareness training can bolster your defense strategy.
Empower Your Employees With Cybersecurity Awareness Training
According to Verizon, in 2023, about 68% of breaches involved a non-malicious human element, where individuals either fell victim to attacks or made errors. When ransomware was involved, each breach cost companies an average of $46,000. Interestingly, eight out of nine companies affected did not have a cybersecurity awareness program in place.
Your business can benefit from incorporating security awareness training that includes:
- Educational scripted videos
- Generic presentations covering typical programs used in your company
- Cyber tests to update employees on modern-day attacks and threats
It’s also wise to update training topics regularly as cybersecurity practitioners identify new threat trends.
How Digital Security Training Assists Your Company
Adding a layer of security through employee training can empower your staff to recognize and thwart cyber threats. Here are a few benefits your business might enjoy with a security awareness training program in place:
Prevent Data Breaches from Malicious Activity
If a hacker sends out a fake email or creates an imitation login page, your security-aware employees will know not to engage or provide sensitive data. They’ll be trained to spot phishing attempts, misspellings, and suspicious links.
Strengthen Cyber Defenses
Awareness helps in observing malicious activities and understanding protocols. Training also promotes stronger defenses, such as robust passwords and multi-step authentication. Additionally, outlining GDPR and HIPAA compliance can help employees prevent threats before they even start.
Boost Business by Putting Your Customers at Ease
Research by Vercara in 2023 showed that about 66% of customers would not continue doing business with a company after a data breach. Around 44% of participants believed such breaches occur due to inadequate cybersecurity measures.
If your customers feel their credit card information, email addresses, home addresses, and other personal data are at risk with you, they’ll take their business elsewhere. Implementing security awareness training can help your business foster a culture of safety and security, mitigating human risk factors and reassuring your customers.