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When you think about tools for improving your organisation’s cybersecurity, it’s likely things such as anti-virus software, firewalls and encryption that immediately spring to mind. And, if it appears at all, security training is probably some way down the list.

However, security training is one of the most effective ways to protect your business against cyber threats. Here’s everything you need to know. 

Why is training so important? 

According to research, 90% of cyber breaches can be put down to human error. Or, in simpler terms, if your employees aren’t aware of what cyber threats look like, they’re much more likely to fall foul of them. 

The best way to beat this is through training. Training can help your people better recognise and understand the threats they face. And, more importantly, learn how to counter them. 

90% of cyber breaches can be put down to human error

What does effective security training look like? 

Firstly, there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all security training. Well, at least not if you want it to be effective. The sort of training your business requires will depend on your staff and their knowledge gaps. 

For some businesses, this means starting with the basics. Meanwhile, in others, training addressing specific weak spots in employee knowledge will prove the best route. To read more on tailoring security training to your business, check out this excellent piece from our UX Researcher Anete.

Whichever approach you choose, remember there’s such a thing as too much information. Learning about cybersecurity (especially for the first time) can feel overwhelming. 

There is a multitude of different threats and concepts to learn. So keep it simple. Your employees don’t need to know everything or become cybersecurity experts overnight. They just need the information that’s most relevant to your industry or business. 

Training should follow the little and often approach. Little, because no one learns best by bombardment. Often, so that your people get into the habit of thinking about cybersecurity regularly. 

Think short, sharp exercises that fit into a lunch break or the time between meetings. It’s important that the training doesn’t impact staff’s core work or become a chore they quickly disengage from. 

And, finally, make it engaging. Include a mix of text, videos and interactive tasks in your training. After all, few of us learn best when the method is boring or feels like a slog.  

How do you get started? 

By this point, you’re hopefully convinced by the merits of security training. You may even have a good idea of which knowledge gaps you need to address within your business. But where do you start?  

At CyberSmart, we’ve noticed a gap in the market for engaging, jargon-free training to help build cybersecurity awareness within SMEs. So, we’ve created CyberSmart Academy. CyberSmart Academy is a simple, do-it-yourself approach to security training. And it’s available to anyone who uses CyberSmart Active Protect. 

Through a series of bite-sized modules, CyberSmart Academy helps your people sharpen their knowledge of cyber threats and develop the skills needed to avoid them. Through videos, articles and interactive quizzes, your staff will quickly boost their knowledge. And, with each module designed to fit into a lunch break, it won’t impact their work or bore them to death. 

We’ve even included a little healthy competition into the process. Once training is complete, staff enter into a company-wide league table, so they can see how they perform against their peers. 

CyberSmart Academy is set to launch in just a few weeks, but if you’d like to know more get in touch, we’re happy to answer any questions.

Looking to improve your cybersecurity but not sure where to begin? Start by getting certified in Cyber Essentials, the UK government scheme that covers all the fundamentals of cyber hygiene.

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