How to Start a Cybersecurity Awareness Program

Creating a cyber security awareness program is essential for organisations of all sizes, especially with the rapidly evolving threats that can affect employees from all parts of the team. A well-executed program empowers employees to recognise and mitigate potential threats, protecting both company data, reputation and finances.  Some of the issues organisations face with cyber awareness programs, is a lack of engagement, a 'not my problem' mentality, or a simple lack of confidence in reporting, or calling out potential risks. So where do we start?

1. Assess your organisation’s needs

Before implementing a cyber security awareness program, conduct a thorough assessment of your organisation’s current security posture. Identify key vulnerabilities, common attack vectors, and the roles within your organisation that are most at risk. This baseline understanding will allow you to tailor the program to address the most relevant threats and should be in line with your business continuity and disaster recovery plans. A rarely implemented assessment, but one that surely needs to be added to this list is a baseline assessment of your team's current awareness. As we are here to mitigate the human factor, knowing the sophistication level and awareness level is important so that you don't under or overestimate your staff.

2. Invest in engaging security awareness training

Traditional, lengthy training sessions can quickly lose employees’ attention. Bite-sized, interactive training modules that employees can complete during work hours can be much less obtrusive. This approach not only respects employees’ time but also improves knowledge retention when paired with simulations. Using games or real-world scenarios can also make the training more engaging and fun. Our award winning platform can implement this with a very low touch to admin and IT, while reporting all the KPIs you need to evolve or adapt your program.

3. Implement phishing simulations

Phishing remains one of the most common attack methods, so integrating phishing simulations or tests into your program is crucial. These simulated attacks help employees recognise and respond to phishing attempts in a safe environment. Over time, the simulations can be tailored to mimic emerging phishing trends, increasing their sophistication and keeping employees on their toes. We now provide QR code simulations and tests as well as email.

4. Engage employees with creative content

Cyber security is not a one-and-done effort. Threats evolve, and so should your awareness program. Regularly update training content to reflect the latest threats and best practices. Provide employees with ongoing tips, newsletters, or short blogs that are quickly accessible to reinforce all the key concepts learned in their training. Not all employees will respond to traditional training, and that's OK! Not only do we have supporting materials and intranet ready content for your team, our training courses also have a choice of interactive or passive (reading only).

5. Create a positive security culture

A strong cyber security culture starts at the top. Leadership should model secure behaviours and encourage open communication about security concerns. Employees are more likely to report incidents or mistakes in a supportive environment where they feel their concerns will be addressed without fear of retribution.

Starting a cyber security awareness program doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By focusing on engaging, tailored training and incorporating practical tools like phishing simulations, you can build a resilient workforce – remember, your people are your first line of defence! Ensuring you are tracking, and reporting on what matters to you, and continually improving upon your program can make a huge difference in uplifting your cyber security posture.

Contact us today if you'd like to see our platform and simulations in action.