Introduction to Cyber Security Training
While cybersecurity departments work tirelessly to achieve “perfect” cybersecurity to prevent cyberattacks, human error is one element they have very little control over—and it is easily the most dangerous.
Human error is one of the main reasons why “perfect” cybersecurity is impossible—according to Cybint, 95% of cybersecurity breaches are caused by human error.
Now, if that statistic isn’t enough to convince you of the importance of cyber security training for employees, here are five more reasons.
1. Raise Awareness of Phishing Attacks
According to GOV.UK, 75% of large organisations and 45% of small businesses have experienced phishing attacks in 2024, making it easily the most common form of cyberattack.
While most people can recognise phishing attacks and respond to them appropriately, due to its “wide net” approach, phishing is almost always guaranteed to catch someone out.
For anyone who has carried out an email marketing campaign, it’s a similar strategy—send in bulk, and someone will fall for it.
Through cyber security training, you can help ensure that your employees are better aware of phishing attacks and develop a cybersecurity-conscious culture—something that will become a common theme in this article.
2. Protect Sensitive Data
The main goal of cybersecurity is to protect sensitive data, and if human error is the most common cause of cybersecurity breaches, then training people how to be more cyber-aware is always going to be helpful.
Cybersecurity isn’t just the responsibility of the IT department; it’s a company-wide effort. Training helps foster a security-first mindset, where employees at all levels prioritise protecting employee, customer, and partner data.
If you’ve read our other articles, you’ll know that we often discuss defence-in-depth. While defence-in-depth usually refers to the digital defence mechanism used to prevent data breaches, employee cyber security training can be considered another important aspect of this strategy.
3. Improve Customer Trust and Confidence
If you succeed in developing a company-wide, cybersecurity-conscious culture that works towards the collective goal of protecting sensitive data, your brand’s trustworthiness will increase significantly.
Clients and customers expect businesses to safeguard their personal information. Regular employee training can demonstrate a commitment to cybersecurity, boost customer confidence, enhance your reputation, and give you a competitive edge in the marketplace.
4. Complying with Industry Regulations
Many industries are governed by strict regulations that mandate specific cybersecurity practices.
Training programs help employees stay compliant with standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI DSS, ensuring your business avoids hefty fines and legal repercussions.
After all, compliance is significantly cheaper than non-compliance.
5. Enhanced Incident Response
Even if you put your employees through rigorous cyber security training, human error will never disappear entirely. Many companies ignore cyber security training by thinking, ‘It’s going to happen anyway, so why not focus our efforts elsewhere?’
Now, while there is some merit to that approach, you’ve got to remember that by providing your employees with cyber security training, you can also significantly increase their incident response times.
When it comes to any form of cyberattack, speed is essential. By creating a cybersecurity-conscious culture that knows how to respond to cyberattacks, you significantly increase your chances of minimising the damage caused—and since, in the most severe cases, cyberattacks can lead to businesses collapsing, every second counts.
Conclusion
Cybersecurity is no longer a luxury. Regardless of the size of your business, it is essential that you provide your employees with the tools and knowledge to counter cyber threats and reduce the potential for human error.
By building a cybersecurity-conscious workforce, you can proactively defend against threats, create a resilient business prepared to tackle evolving cyber challenges and give yourself a competitive edge.