Boosting Employee Cyber Awareness with ModernStrategies

By Divan de Nysschen, Cybersecurity Architect at NEC XON

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Malicious actors seeking to infiltrate networks would rather find a way to be given a key to the castle by an unsuspecting human than try to climb the ramparts or break through a thick iron gate. Recent statistics reveal that a staggering 22% of all cyber breaches stem from phishing attacks, which take an alarming 295 days, on average, to contain.
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To defend against cyber threats effectively, businesses must prioritise increasing cybersecurity awareness among their employees. This awareness ensures that employees are well-versed in maintaining their "cyber hygiene" and understanding how to identify and prevent cyber threats. With the right tools and knowledge, employees can act proactively to prevent security incidents that could lead to data breaches, causing significant harm to a business's operations, finances, and reputation.

Five strategies to thwart the thieves
In this blog, we explore five contemporary strategies designed to cultivate cyber awareness and enhance employee resilience against social engineering.

1. Make Cybersecurity a Part of New Employee Onboarding - One effective way to instil the importance of cybersecurity among employees is by integrating it into their onboarding process. Educating employees about their roles and responsibilities in upholding information security can help businesses build a robust defence against cyber threats. However, it's crucial to remember that cybersecurity training should not end with onboarding; it should be an ongoing part of your business's strategy to maintain awareness.
2. Cybersecurity Training and Workshops - A comprehensive security awareness training program is essential to boost overall cybersecurity awareness among employees. Such programs provide employees with the knowledge and confidence needed to recognise cyber threats and respond appropriately to prevent them. They also help employees understand the process of escalation in case of a security incident. One way to engage employees effectively is through interactive live video demonstrations. These demonstrations provide a comprehensive understanding of the entire attack lifecycle, from its inception to how it appears to an end-user.
3. Executive Cyber Drills - Cyber drills are an excellent way to test an organisation's defences, specifically employees’ ability to respond quickly to potential threats in a simulated environment. These drills, often run by internal or external teams, simulate cyber-attacks to test a business's security measures. Different types of drills challenge different sets of employees and skills, such as phishing simulations, which test employees' alertness in identifying and avoiding phishing scams.
4. Get Senior Management to Promote Cyber Awareness - Leadership within a business plays a critical role in promoting cybersecurity awareness. Senior-level management must model appropriate cybersecurity hygiene, setting the tone and standard for the entire company. By displaying behaviour expected from employees, leadership helps instil a culture of cybersecurity awareness throughout the organisation.
5. Implement Robust Cybersecurity Policies - While most employees understand the importance of protecting company security, some may not take it as seriously. It's essential for businesses to be clear with their employees about the consequences of repeated security failures. A single careless employee can have a detrimental impact on the entire organisation. Each organisation should determine appropriate measures for handling repeat failures and offer rewards for proper precaution.

Cybersecurity awareness is a critical component of an organisation's defence against the growing threat of cyberattacks. By implementing the strategies mentioned above and continuously educating and engaging employees, businesses can enhance their cybersecurity posture and create a resilient workforce that is well-prepared to tackle the challenges of the digital age. Remember, in the battle against cyber threats, informed and aware employees are your first line of defence.