Cyber Security is an increasingly trending issue. Companies are spending millions of dollars on cyber security software, professionals, and certifications to try to play defensive when it comes to their systems and confidential data. It seems that every week we hear about another organization that has fallen victim to the ever persistent “hackers”. When it comes to confidential data, how do we really go about securing it, considering that software can be vulnerable to breaches?
Cyber Security Software Only Goes So Far…
One possible answer is of course the software. If companies keep spending, new software and systems will continue to be created to fix the problems. Good news for entrepreneurs. A quick search reveals that there are hundreds of Cyber Security companies offering software to prevent threats, including some of the largest names on the Forbes 500 list. The real nature of the beast is that you can keep building your walls thicker and higher, but there will always be a way around, above, or underneath the walls.
Current Training Focuses Mainly on IT Professionals
Training institutes offer modules that focus on creating certified IT professionals in the field of Cyber Security to manage their systems and monitor for threats. But what about the employees who use the systems? If most companies are focusing on training certifications for only a few employees, how is the rest of the organization going to act?
Limiting training to a few key individuals and relying on them to pass on the knowledge to others can spell disaster. Sure, the IT department or other high-level employees are primarily responsible for the “cogs” of the infrastructure, but all it takes is one small piece of the machine to fail for a ripple effect to start. It sure sounds better that all the employees are trained and aware of their responsibilities before those situations occur, doesn’t it?
Employee Knowledge and Training is the Answer:
As it turns out, according to the Harvard Business Review, one of the major cyber security threats comes from the human brain; curiosity, ignorance, apathy, and hubris. Everyone is looking for the next big piece of software to put executives at ease, but are ignoring the underlying issue that all employees need to be trained to respond to security threats, from the bottom to the top. Not just the IT department.
Organizations that are missing the link between employee and training are also missing the opportunity for early detection, early response, and improved risk mitigation.
Investing in training to improve employee knowledge and behaviour at all levels of the organization can help to create more peace of mind, and reduce uncertainty when it comes to protecting valuable data.
If you’d like to learn more, contact us.
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For those looking to win the war on cyber attacks, HSI® is the premier choice for training your entire organization to recognize and respond to threats among all other service providers. Where our competition focuses only on certification and high-level training, our experienced team focuses on the largest threat, your employees, and how to train them to recognize, respond, and mitigate threats company wide, which can significantly reduce your security risks more than any other variable.