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What is Security Awareness Training?

Understand what Security Awareness Training is and its importance for your employees. Our in-depth blog steps up your organization's defense against cyber threats, empowering employees with the knowledge to safeguard sensitive information and recognize potential risks.

What is Security Awareness Training?

Security awareness training is an educational process designed to enhance the security consciousness of an organization's workforce. This training covers various topics, including cybersecurity, information security, and various practices to safeguard sensitive data.

The main goal of security awareness training is to teach employees how to identify and reduce security risks. Training includes spotting phishing, using strong passwords, and detecting security breaches.

Employees who participate in security awareness and training improve their ability to handle confidential information and become more responsible.

Why is Security Awareness Training Important for Employees?

Employees must be aware of the importance of cyber security awareness training. Verizon's 2022 Data Breach Investigation Report states that human errors cause 82% of data breaches.

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Picture 1: Why security awareness training is important for employees.

Employees are frequently the first line of defense against cyber attacks. Teaching them about security makes them aware of dangers and helps them understand how their actions affect security. It helps create a security culture within the company, where each employee protects sensitive information. A well-trained workforce must meet these requirements and avoid potential legal and financial penalties.

Benefits for Individuals

  • Learn About Online Dangers and How to Stay Safe: This training makes it easier to understand different online cyber threats. It helps people know how to spot and stay away from cyber threats.
  • Build Safe Online Habits: Just like we keep ourselves clean for good health, learning how to be safe online keeps our digital world secure. This training teaches important safety habits to use all the time.
  • Know Why It's Important: Through this training, people see the real value of being careful online. They learn how it can greatly lower the risk of falling for social engineering scams and other cyber threats, keeping them safer from cyber threats.

Benefits for Organizations

  • Make Your Company's Security Stronger: Having employees who know about cyber security threats is like having a strong first line of defense. With security training, your organization can make its defenses even stronger and build a tough security culture to prevent cyber threats.
  • Lower the Chance of Losing Data: A big plus of training everyone about cybersecurity is that it can really cut down on the chance of data breaches. Employees who know what to look for can stop threats before they get serious.
  • Help Your Team Feel More Confident with Security: Being sure of themselves helps a lot. Employees who get training feel more capable of dealing with, reporting, and stopping cyber threats. This encourages everyone to be more active in keeping the organization safe.

How to Increase Security Awareness in a Company?

Increasing security awareness in a company involves a multi-faceted approach. Keeping regular cyber security training up-to-date with the latest threats and best practices is crucial. All employees must do this program, and those in important or risky roles need extra training on information security. Interactive training methods, such as workshops, simulations, and quizzes, can more effectively engage employees and reinforce learning.

Please look at the steps below and see best practices to increase awareness in your organization.

  • Update mandatory security training regularly for all employees, with extra focus on high-risk roles.
  • Use interactive methods like workshops and simulations to enhance engagement.
  • Perform frequent phishing tests to improve threat recognition.
  • Communicate regularly about security updates and practices.
  • Promote a culture of open reporting for security issues.
  • Involve leadership in security awareness activities.
  • Customize security training for specific departmental needs.
  • Incorporate real-life examples in security awareness and training for practical insights.
  • Continually update security policies and ensure employee awareness.
  • Assess cyber security training effectiveness with surveys and behavior observation.

3 Best Practices for Security Awareness Training

Security awareness training holds immense importance. With the increase in cyber threats, organizations must implement effective cybersecurity awareness training.

Let's explore three essential best practices for creating an impactful security awareness training program.

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Picture 2: 3 best practices for security awareness training

  • Continuous and Regular Security Training: Security threats evolve rapidly. So, it's crucial that information security awareness training is not a one-time event. Employees learn the latest threats and security practices with regular updates and security awareness training sessions.
  • Engaging and Relevant Content: Use interactive content like simulations, games, and real-life case studies. Tailor the content to be relevant to your specific industry and the particular roles of your employees.
  • Testing and Feedback: Implement assessments to test employee knowledge and retention. Regular feedback and constructive critique help employees understand their weaknesses and how they can improve.

Why You Should Try Keepnet Security Awareness Training?

Keepnet's security awareness training stands out for its behavior science-based approach to cybersecurity education. By choosing Keepnet, customers get access to up-to-date training materials on security threats and best practices.

Please see the list of benefits to get answer of why you should try Keepnet security awareness training:

Unified Social Engineering Simulation Tools

The platform offers various types of social engineering simulation tools. These include MFA Phishing, Email (Phishing), Voice Phishing (Vishing), QR code (Quishing), SMS Phishing (Smishing), and Callback Phishing simulations. These simulators cover all aspects of social engineering phishing threats. One platform unifies all products, streamlining the process for enhanced ease and effectiveness in cybersecurity training.

Strengthened Data Protection and Privacy

Making sure your organization's information is safe is important. A study found that 60% of businesses said mistakes by their own people were a big reason for security problems. The right kind of training can greatly lower these issues, keeping organization data safe and private.

Reduced Risk of Data Breaches and Financial Loss

Data breaches can lead to big financial losses, not just the loss of information. According to a report by IBM, the average cost of a data breach in 2021 was $4.24 million. With good cybersecurity training, companies can prepare their employees to spot and stop cyber threats. This lowers the chances of getting hit by these expensive data breaches.

Enhanced Reputation and Trust Among Stakeholders

In business, reputation is very important. A study in 2020 found that 46% of people are more likely to trust companies that take cybersecurity seriously. When companies show they care about protecting their data by offering cybersecurity training, they gain more trust from everyone involved. This trust builds better relationships with customers, investors, and business partners.

6 Main Components of Keepnet’s Security Awareness Training

Selecting the right training provider is as important as the training itself. Keepnet stands out in this arena with its innovative and effective approach to security awareness.

Let's explore why Keepnet security awareness training could be an excellent choice for your organization's cybersecurity training needs.

  • Comprehensive and Customizable Training Modules: Keepnet offers extensive training modules. You can use each security training tailored to your organization's unique requirements. This customization ensures the training is directly relevant to your security concerns and business context.
  • Interactive Learning Tools: Keepnet enhances the learning experience by incorporating interactive tools, including simulations and gamified learning experiences. This approach engages employees and facilitates better understanding and retention of cybersecurity concepts.
  • Real-Time Reporting and Analytics: Keepnet's platform provides real-time analytics and reporting capabilities, offering valuable insights into employees' training progress and performance. This feature enables organizations to track improvements and identify areas needing further attention, thus continually enhancing their security posture.
  • Phishing Simulation Tests: Keepnet's comprehensive phishing simulation tests provide employees with practical experience identifying phishing attacks. These simulations include Email Phishing, Voice Phishing, SMS Phishing, QR Code Phishing, MFA Phishing, and Callback Phishing scenarios. This diverse range of simulations tests and trains employees against various phishing tactics they might encounter.
  • Regular Content Updates: Keepnet regularly updates its security awareness and training content to keep pace with the rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape. This ensures that the training materials reflect current threats and trends. Keep your organization's defenses sharp and up-to-date.
  • Security Training Automation Based on Incorrect Behavior: Keepnet's platform automates security training by assigning modules to employees based on their behavior. The system automatically directs employees who interact incorrectly with a simulated phishing attempt or other security test to relevant training. This targeted approach ensures continuous learning and adaptation to security needs.
  • Strong Customer Support: Known for its robust customer support, Keepnet assists organizations in effectively implementing and managing their security awareness training programs. This support ranges from initial setup and customization to ongoing assistance and troubleshooting, ensuring a smooth and effective employee security awareness training experience.

The importance of security awareness training cannot be overstated. So, Keepnet's approach to providing this training adeptly equips employees to confront and manage cyber threats. Through its comprehensive training programs, Keepnet notably enhances an organization's security awareness, fortifying its defense against cyber risks.

Watch Keepnet's security training on YouTube to see how you can raise awareness and create a security culture among your employees.

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You'll learn how to:
tickImplement phishing simulations covering Email, Voice, MFA, QR Code, Callback, and SMS, to encourage employees to stop phishing attacks.
tickAutomate behavior-driven security awareness training for your workforce, trusted by over 4 million people.
tickReceive detailed reports on training progress for strategic insights into enhancing awareness and response tactics.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Does Keepnet Security Awareness Training Cost?

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The price of Keepnet cyber security training depends on factors like organization size, customization needs, and chosen modules. Typically, we structure pricing on a per-user basis and it may also depend on the length of the subscription or contract. It's advisable to contact Keepnet directly for a detailed quote that matches your organization's specific needs.

How to Increase Awareness of Cybersecurity?

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Increasing cybersecurity awareness involves a multifaceted approach:

  • Regular Security Awareness Training and Education: Implement regular and up-to-date training sessions for all employees, covering various aspects of cybersecurity.
  • Phishing Simulations and Tests: Simulate cyber threats, like phishing, to train employees in recognizing and responding to security risks.
  • Promote a Security-First Culture: Encourage a workplace culture where cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. Regular communication from leadership about the importance of cybersecurity can reinforce this.
  • Utilize Visual Aids and Reminders: Posters, emails, and regular meetings can keep cybersecurity in mind.
  • Encourage Reporting of Suspicious Activities: Create a safe environment for employees to report suspicious activities without fear of retribution.

How Long Does It Take to Create Security Awareness Training?

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The time it takes to create a security awareness training program can vary significantly. The amount of information covered, the level of personalization, and the creator of the information impact training. Developing a basic program might take a few weeks, while more comprehensive and customized training can take several months.

How Often Per Year Should a Company Conduct a Security Training Program?

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Best practices suggest conducting cyber security awareness training at least annually. For maximum effectiveness, we recommend ongoing training throughout the year, with updates as needed to address new threats. Quarterly training updates or reminders can be effective.

When Should Security Awareness Training Be Provided to New Employees?

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Security awareness training should be part of the onboarding process for new employees. New employees should receive security training in their first week to learn about the organization's policies and practices. During their ongoing professional development, they should receive continual refreshers and updates.

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