Cybersecurity solutions are all well and fine, but your team also plays a significant role in keeping your business safe. You need to acknowledge they are a potential threat and take steps to prepare them for the bevy of threats they’ll face. Today, we want to discuss why your employees are a cybersecurity threat and what you can do to mitigate it.
What Makes Your Employees a Business Vulnerability?
While modern cybersecurity solutions are good, and it takes a lot longer to infiltrate a system that is protected, this has come at a cost.
Attackers would rather find alternative pathways into your infrastructure, hence why cybercriminals target your employees. They are subject to all kinds of emotions that computers aren’t, like curiosity, trust, and fear. Phishing and social engineering attacks depend on subterfuge, and employees who are uninformed or aren’t paying attention can put your business at risk.
All of this is to say that yes, employees are your biggest weakness, but they can also be a great cybersecurity strength… with the right investment.
Build Up Your Team of Cybersecurity Assets
Consistency is Key
Instead of long, somewhat annual seminars on cybersecurity, use short, consistent training sessions sprinkled in throughout the year to keep it top of mind. Your employees will be more engaged and receptive in response.
Practical Evaluations
Put what your employees learn to the test with regular phishing simulations. This will help your team identify when attacks are coming their way and what to do about them, but in a controlled environment.
Reinforce Best Practices
Policies should keep your team focused on best practices, but only if they are enforced. Be sure to establish minimum password lengths and filter your Internet connection to limit exposure to potentially dangerous situations.
Build a Culture of Cybersecurity
More than anything, you want your team to know that security is important and that they are expected to ask questions and own up to mistakes when they occur. Any unreported threat or mistake could lead to more disastrous circumstances later on. Make sure they can report without fear of reprisal or punishment.
Info Advantage can help your business train employees and reinforce cybersecurity best practices. To learn more, call us at (585) 254-8710 today.