Most cyberattacks achieve success by human error. Ransomware attacks are deployed through phishing and can be successful only when an employee clicks on malicious links. It means that cyber security awareness training is essential for all organizations to stay protected from cyberattacks.
Security awareness training educates employees about the risks of cyberattacks, how to identify a potential attack, and best practices to prevent security breaches in the organization.
The 10 Essential Security Awareness Training Topics
Here are the ten most important security awareness training topics to educate employees.
1. Phishing Attacks
Phishing is one of the most common methods used by cybercriminals for attacks. These attacks have become increasingly common in the past few years and it is harder for organizations to ensure safety when many employees are working from home. Training employees to spot phishing attacks is essential to ensure protection against attacks.
2. Cloud Security
Many businesses are now migrating to the cloud. Cloud services are transforming the way businesses function but along with huge benefits, come bigger risks. A large amount of private data is stored in the cloud and an attack can cause significant damage. Security awareness training should also educate employees on how to use cloud services safely.
3. Passwords and Authentication
If the passwords you keep for access are commonly used, they can be guessed by attackers to gain access to the system. Educating employees about the risks of implementing simple passwords and how to keep passwords that can’t be guessed easily is important to protect important information from being stolen.
4. Physical Security
Although most of the attacks happen through digital mediums, keeping physical documents safe is equally important. Employees should take care of physical documents and not leave any documents or their computers unattended.
5. Social Media Use
Many of us use social media religiously and post updates of our daily lives on the platform. Safe use of social media platforms is essential to prevent any critical information about the organization from getting leaked.
6. Safe browsing
Safe browsing is essential to stay protected from cybersecurity breaches. Many websites offer free downloads that can be malicious and infect the system. Educate employees on how to browse safely to prevent malware attacks and data breaches.
7. Removable Media
Removable media like USBs, CDs, smartphones, and SD cards are also used for cyberattacks. These devices can contain malware that can attack the system when connected to the computer. Employees must be taught about the usage of removable media and how to prevent risks like malware infections, copyright infringement, and stolen devices.
8. Mobile Device Security
Many employees now have the option to work remotely using their mobile devices. This convenience has also made cybercriminals improvise and cause more sophisticated attacks. Many malicious apps can deploy malware on your phone and cause a security breach. Employees should be taught how to keep their smartphones safe with password-protected, encrypted, or biometric authentication and avoid downloading suspicious apps to minimize risk.
9. Working Remotely
Remote working accepted widely due to the pandemic, is here to stay. It helps in increasing productivity and cuts down significant expenses of the organizations. However, this trend poses increased threats to security breaches. Employees should be taught safe practices to use when working remotely such as not leaving their devices unattended and using a system with antivirus installed.
10. Public Wi-Fi
Employees working remotely from a café or while traveling need to be trained on how to use public Wi-Fi safely. Fake public Wi-Fi services that pose as Free Wi-Fi can lead to stolen information and access by making users enter critical information into non-secure servers.
