Even if your company missed out on Cyber Awareness Month in October, it is never too late to empower your HR and IT departments with tailormade training programmes.
This is according to Isabel Adams, people enablement director at AVeS Cyber Security, whoch recently won the KnowBe4 Partner to Watch Award.
“With so many companies relying on digital technology, cyber security is essential to protect your data, system, and business reputation from malicious attacks that could compromise your operations, customers, and stakeholders,” says Adams.
It is particularly important given upcoming events like Black Friday on 24 November. Research conducted by Surfshark Antivirus in 2022 found that there was a 17% spike in cyber threats in South Africa during the week leading up to Black Friday. The study revealed that every 50th scan found at least one threat, with South Africa experiencing a threat rate of 13 per 100 scan cycles.
Therefore, it is important to note that cyber security is not a once-off event, and neither does it represent a static state of a business at any given point. “It requires ongoing awareness and training to keep up with the ever-evolving threats and best practices,” says Adams.
Employees need to be educated and empowered to recognise and respond to a range of cyber risks, from phishing to ransomware and password management, among others. It is important to assist your staff to develop a security mindset and a culture of vigilance.
Ongoing training reduces the likelihood and impact of cyber incidents, especially as human error is often the main cause of many breaches. Providing training to raise awareness lessens the risk of employees falling victim to scams, clicking on malicious links, or sharing sensitive information. They are also equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to detect and report suspicious activities, minimising the damage in the event of any incident.
Cybersecurity is not only a technical issue but also a legal and ethical one. Depending on your industry and location, companies need to be aware of the various regulations and standards that must be complied with. Again, this requires employees to be trained accordingly. On the customer side, it establishes you as a credible and compliant company that can be relied on and trusted.
Ongoing training and awareness boosts productivity and efficiency. Cyber incidents disrupt business operations, cause downtime, or result in data loss or corruption. Preventing or mitigating cyber incidents ensures business continuity and guarantees the quality of your services and products. “Our training allows companies to leverage the latest technology and innovations without compromising their security,” says Adams.
While employees may be at the greatest risk from any cyberattack, quality training that is ongoing and updated regularly effectively transforms them into the first line of defence. “You effectively create a human firewall to protect your company from the inside out. However, insist on proper training from experts or trusted experts such as AVeS Cyber Security,” says Adams.
“To ensure employees remain vigilant, we recommend consistent, quality cyber awareness training. We can provide quotes to suit any organisation’s specific needs in terms of budget and objectives,” concludes Adams.