Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cybercrimes have risen by about 600 percent. Bearing this in mind, it is more critical than before to provide internet security awareness within the organization and educate the employees about the dangers that could put stakeholders and the business at risk. Even though several technologies can provide great defense against cyber threats, nothing compares to proper internet security awareness training.
Internet security awareness training encompasses enlightening the workforce on cyber threats that pose a significant threat to the business. Creating awareness allows employees to be vigilant, avoid anxiety, and take the necessary steps to keep the business and themselves safe in case of any suspicious online activities. Here are the top benefits of internet security awareness for your business.
Among the things that play a major role in cyberattacks is human error. A well-trained workforce is critical for effective security. The right internet security awareness training program will instill confidence and knowledge in employees to be in a position to recognize and deal accordingly with threats that present themselves.
If training is regularly offered, it strengthens the significance of user technology security education among the staff and builds a security-aware culture. The more aware your workforce is of cyber-attack threats, the better. This is because it serves as a defense mechanism for your business. Furthermore, you will be more alert with your cybersecurity measures.
An internet security awareness program plays a critical part in reducing the risk that could result in cybersecurity threats and data breaches.
With proper training, employees will be mindful of the information security best practices application and technologies regularly used in the workplace, including social media, email, apps, and websites. Internet security awareness educates employees on social engineering attacks such as phishing and spear phishing.
Phishing is a cybersecurity attack method in which cybercriminals send an email containing a document or a link that seems legitimate but aims to steal information. These emails look as if they are sent from a trusted source, but they are part of a complex scheme in the real sense.
By training employees, they can be in a position to identify these phishing scams and thus help better protect your business by reducing the threat.
It is always costly and time-consuming to reinstate normal business operations after a breach or other security incidents.
However, if employees are knowledgeable about internet security principles and are aware of the role they are supposed to play in keeping the business secure. In that case, there is little likelihood that a security breach will take place, and thus essential business operations will remain operational.
There is increased awareness and concern about internet security issues among customers. Businesses, therefore, must respond accordingly by implementing the right tools and solutions that prove they are protected from cyber breaches to improve customer confidence.
According to a study conducted, 31% of customers said following a breach, they discontinued their relationship with the breached entity. Additionally, 65% said they lost confidence and trust in the entity after being affected by the security breaches.
This indicates that internet security awareness is critical and shouldn't be overlooked. This is because it allows employees to follow the ideal practices to deal with cybersecurity threats. If customers are aware that a business is taking proactive measures in dealing with cyber threats, their confidence in the business is deemed to increase, and thus they are more likely to do business with them.
A recent study at Kaspersky Lab revealed that 69% of people reported feeling stressed by data breach news. However, if employees are kept up to date about the latest cyber threats and attacks, it can help mitigate anxiety caused by cybersecurity uncertainty. Furthermore, internet security training can make staff confident in their abilities to protect against cyber threats and keep sensitive information secure.
As a business person, if your business deals with classified or sensitive information, regulation compliance is not an option as it helps in the protection of data. If information is mishandled, there could be a detrimental impact both financially and reputation-wise.
Starting internet security awareness training will make sure your workforce is familiar with compliance policies and knows how to deal with delicate data. This will add another layer of security to your business and, at the same time, allow you to meet your regulatory requirements.
Each business is prone to unique risks based on location, industry, regulatory and technical circumstances. Luckily, by training employees on how to identify signs of suspicious activity and how to address a potential breach, you can significantly reduce the chance of experiencing a successful data breach.
In order to avoid another breach and avoid huge losses, businesses should have a plan to assess and deal with privacy incidents and put together a breach response team with clearly defined roles and responsibilities to deal with any breaches that may present themselves.
Cybercriminal attacks do not just hurt businesses' reputations, but also hurt the business financially. According to the study by Ponemon Institute, on the cost of Data Breach, the average cost of a data breach is roughly $3.83 million. Unfortunately, in the United States, the data breach cost has surpassed an all-time high of $8.64million.
However, creating awareness among employees about cyber-related attacks can have a significant impact on businesses, as businesses can save money on lawsuits and penalties resulting from cybercrimes.
There is no doubt internet security awareness holds a handful of benefits. Working with a well-informed workforce will keep employees vigilant and allow them to take the necessary steps to deal with any cyber-related attacks. However, it is also essential to ensure that you choose the right training program to make sure that the employees understand their information security responsibilities. To ensure your cybersecurity issues are taken care of and your workforce is well-trained, contact Orbis Solution Inc as they are reliable IT partners.
Thanks to our friends at Velocity IT in Dallas for their help with this article.
Orbis Solutions, Inc., in Las Vegas, Henderson, Summerlin and throughout Nevada, has developed creative, strategic and cost-effective technical solutions for a wide variety of clients. Offering a diverse range of products and services, Orbis provides IT solutions to promote your company’s productivity and profitability, and help you sort through the latest-hyped technology, so you can select the best hardware, software or service for your business needs.
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