Cybercrime is a rapidly growing industry. Experts estimate that cybercrime costs will reach $10.5 trillion annually by 2025. Keeping information safe is essential in light of the growing risks of cybercrime.
Effective cybersecurity training is vital in the fight to keep data secure. But how do you know if your cybersecurity training is working?
For over 25 years, WEBIT Services has built effective cybersecurity procedures for hundreds of clients. It is passionate about using strategy and education to protect its clients.
By reading this article, you will learn signs that your training is working well, how to spot areas needing improvement, and ways your IT provider or team can help improve your training.
5 Signs Your Cybersecurity Training is Effective
As the online world gets trickier, knowing if your cybersecurity training is paying off is essential. Watch for these signs that it's working:
1. Your Team is More Careful
If your team gets better at spotting things like phishing emails, strange links, or unknown attachments, that's a clear sign your training is helping them stay safe.
Your team will report suspicious emails, verify senders before replying to odd messages or texts, and they will employ better passwords and multifactor authentication.
2. Less Phishing Trouble
Phishing emails are a big problem. These scams can lead to compromised credentials, cyberattacks, and security breaches. If fewer people in your team fall for fake phishing emails, your training is helping them recognize those traps.
You can test for this by creating phishing tests. These emails are constructed by your IT team and designed to look like legitimate phishing emails. Users should report the emails as suspicious.
Users who click the links or reply to these test phishing emails may need additional training. No harm was done because these emails were not genuine phishing attempts.
However, the test reveals which users are likelier to fall for authentic phishing messages and reduce risk.
If the number of test clicks goes down and reports go up, your training is working.
3. Your Team Follows Cybersecurity Rules
When your team starts using strong passwords, locking their devices, and sticking to security rules, that shows your training is making them more security-conscious.
Users understand the importance of the rules and the risks they protect against.
Employees are also more likely to follow the rules if they see leadership participating. If leadership treats security as "rules for thee but not for me," users are less likely to see the value in good cybersecurity practices.
However, a culture of cybersecurity awareness and care shows your training is informative and effective.
4. Security is a Common and Important Talking Point
If your team starts chatting about security steps outside of training sessions, it's a good sign they're making these practices part of their daily routines. It shows that security is top of mind, and your users absorb the information well.
5. You Experience Fewer Security Issues and Risks
The best proof of good training is having fewer security issues, like breaches, data leaks, or unauthorized access. This means your team is using what they've learned to stay safe.
This can be tested safely in a risk assessment. Your IT provider or internal IT team should perform risk assessments quarterly or after a significant IT system change.
Risk assessments will identify your areas of IT risk that can be improved, including poor user security practices. As your users train, you should see this risk reduce over time.
Indicators of Needed Improvement
Even when things are going well, there could be areas to work on. Look out for these signs:
1. Habits Stay the Same
If your team keeps doing risky things online even after training, your training might need some changes.
2. Phishing Still Tricking
If lots of your team still click on fake phishing emails, it could mean your training isn't teaching them well enough about the dangers.
3. Not Reporting Issues
If your team doesn't tell anyone about possible security problems, they might not understand why reporting is so important. This could mean your training needs to focus on this.
4. Breaking the Rules Often
If your team keeps breaking security rules, your training might not explain them clearly or why they are essential.
5. No Change in Problems
If security problems keep happening at the same rate or even more often after training, it might mean your training isn't keeping up with new online threats.
Boosting Your Training with IT Support
Your IT team can help make your cybersecurity training even stronger. Here's how:
1. Custom-Made Training
Work with your IT experts to create training that matches your organization's weak spots. This way, your training speaks directly to your team's needs.
2. Interactive Learning
Ask your IT team to make training activities that look like real online situations. This helps your team practice how to handle threats safely.
3. Checking Regularly
Get your IT team to do regular tests and pretend security drills to see if your training works. These tests and risk assessments can show where your security training needs a tune-up.
4. Staying Current
Online threats change all the time. Your IT team should stay updated about the newest threats. This helps your training stay strong against new challenges.
Next Steps for Improving Your IT Security Training
In the world of online dangers, having strong cybersecurity training is a must. Keep an eye on how your training is going and be ready to improve.
You'll know your training is working if you observe the following:
- If your users are being more careful with security.
- You notice that your users are falling for fewer phishing tests and scams.
- Your team follows cybersecurity rules.
- Security is a common and important talking point.
- You experience fewer security issues and risks.
If you aren't noticing the IT security improvements or risk reduction you want to see, talk to your IT provider or internal IT team. They can help you identify and address holes in your users' security knowledge and the risks they create.
In addition, quarterly risk assessments will show the effectiveness of your training. A quality IT provider or internal IT team should be able to explain your results and the actions taken. If they cannot explain the results, this is a service red flag.
WEBIT Services believes knowledge is power, so it is passionate about cybersecurity education and IT strategy.
If you're ready to discuss security frameworks and risk assessments for your business, schedule a free 30-minute consultation with WEBIT.
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