With the risks of cyberattacks increasing considerably in the past few years, all of us are trying to protect ourselves from cybercriminals at all times. And you probably are aware that when it comes to protecting your data from hackers, there’s no permanent solution. The recent development of technologies has further increased the risks with the hackers developing newer techniques to penetrate into computers and networks.
If you are a business owner, cyberattacks can wreak havoc on your business. In fact, a study says that 60% of the startups and small businesses shut down within just 6 months of a cyber attack. Therefore, business owners carry the most risk of being affected adversely by the cyberattacks.
So, is there no way to stop these attacks? Well, while there is no permanent solution, there are certain ways to safeguard your business from these attacks, the most important being educating your employees about the cyberattacks, the risks associated with them, and the countermeasures that can help in stopping those attacks. Here are some ways in which you can train your employees about cybersecurity:
Stop Human Errors
Your servers hold a great deal of information that can potentially cause a lot of harm to your clients and your reputation if someone manages to get hold of it. While you cannot predict when a cyberattack can come your way, you can’t just sit around and wait for it to happen – you have to make sure that you’ve done everything you could to prevent it.
And your organization is only as good as its vulnerable link is – and certainly, the most vulnerable link in every organization, at least when it comes to cybersecurity, are its employees.
You might not be amazed to know that human errors are mostly responsible for a majority of cyber-attacks you read so much about these days. As a matter of fact, experts suggest that around 50% of data breaches are caused by mistakes employees make, like opening phishing emails. While this may not be so easy to fix, there are still some guidelines you need to share with your staff.
- Teach your employees about the cybersecurity threats and risks and the present scenario.
- Explain them the risks and how adversely the attacks can affect business.
- Make them aware of the ways that hackers use to penetrate into websites and networks.
- Ask your employees to never open malicious emails.
- Also, ensure that none of them install any suspicious third-party application on the network or system.
Develop a Training Program
In order to combat cyber-criminals, you need a training program that includes
- A clearly written security policy
- A cybersecurity contact
- Monthly training
- Regular tips and reminders
Everyone from c-level employee to the supporting staff needs training in cybersecurity. When you start developing a training program, you should include these guidelines and share them with your employees:
- Make sure your passwords are strong: Passwords need to be at least 14 characters long and advise your workers never to use the same one twice.
- Use up-to-date software: If your employees want their devices to remain malware-free, they have to update their software on a regular occasion.
- Beware of scam websites: Remind your employees that they should double-check website addresses and look for the lock icon.
- Secure your own devices: They have to treat their smartphones, tablets, and laptops like a computer in the company’s office – use passwords and antivirus software.
Corporate Training Programs can Help
While the aforementioned tips can help you prevent cyber attacks to some extent, they do not ensure complete security. Ensuring your business is safe from the attacks requires plugging in the holes present in the network or the website, which can only be done by professional ethical hackers. These professionals use the same methods that the attackers use to find vulnerabilities in a website or network to fix them.
This is where you can train your employees in ethical hacking course which would ensure utmost security for your business’s website and network. Today, there are many ethical hacking certification courses provided by various online certification providers. You can choose any of these corporate training programs and help your employees get ethical hacking certifications, which can be very beneficial for your business as well.
Final Thoughts
The biggest misconception about cybercriminals is that they focus only on large corporations. In reality, these criminals know that all legal firms have data that needs to be protected. No matter how small your company is, you can still become a victim of one of these attacks. Therefore, make sure that all of your employees are clearly prepared for an attack and if something does happen, your organization and data stay as safe as possible.