Your employees may be the most critical part of your cybersecurity strategy.  Up to 25% of data breaches are caused by employee “mistakes” (2018 Cost of a Data Breach Study by Ponemon).   It happens in even the largest companies. Human error was blamed in the Equifax breach of over 147 million consumer’s sensitive credit data. For SMBs, a data breach can be particularly devasting. 60% of SMBs that reported a breach were out of business within 6 months.

The problem is that many employees are simply uninformed of what to look for, or what would constitute a threat. Do they know what a phishing email looks like?  Do they take care not to open suspicious attachments?  Are they downloading programs on their own when they need an application for their job? Threats are constantly evolving, and to keep safe smart organizations are offering comprehensive cybersecurity training and awareness programs.

Port53 Technologies recommends a two-tiered approach to employee training and awareness.  First you need to assess your current risk level. A phishing simulation can help determine how prepared you are in the event of a cyber-attack.  Employees will be targeted for attacks that could include malware, ransomware, spear fishing, etc.  You will get a strong sense for how your team will respond in the event of a real attack, and your employees will immediately become more educated and aware of the type of attack they are vulnerable to.

The other component is to install an effective training program. The goal is to teach employees about common and emerging digital threats, good cybersecurity habits, and how to protect themselves and their organization. In order to be effective, the content must be presented in an engaging way, and give you metrics on employee progress and achievement. Many large enterprises have video learning programs that effectively engage the audience, and track progress so you know if your team is making progress.  Port53 Technologies has partnered with Avanoo to offer a video learning series designed for the needs of SMBs.  Learn more Here.

Port53 Technologies has taken these best industry practices and put them together with our Cybersecurity Essentials program. To learn more about how we’re helping SMBs with their Security strategy, learn more Here.