BayernLB
BayernLB engaged Focus Group to improve its connectivity, optimise productivity and enhance its working environment.
Cyber security awareness training and testing
Regardless of your business size or industry, your employees are your biggest cyber security risk and the primary target for cybercriminals. Staff are responsible for nearly 90% of successful cyber attacks. Stop your employees causing security incidents with our fully-managed, low cost cyber security awareness training and testing (SATT) service.
What is cyber security awareness training?
Cyber security awareness training for employees provides e-learning and initiatives aimed at enhancing employees' understanding of potential cyber threats and promoting safe online practices within an organisation. Our training sessions typically cover topics such as identifying phishing emails, creating strong passwords, recognizing social engineering tactics, understanding the importance of software updates, and safeguarding sensitive information. The goal is to empower employees to become the first line of defence against cyber attacks and to minimize the risk of data breaches or other security incidents.
Our in house cyber security specialists will implement a comprehensive online training service to ensure your workforce is armed with the insight to protect against potential cyber-attacks and mitigate the risk of you employees causing a data breach. SATT training will raise awareness of cyber security, teach your employees how to spot and stop email phishing attacks, test their understanding, increase vigilance and - in turn – protect your business against cybercrime. In a nutshell, we’ll deliver cyber awareness training and testing which ticks all the security boxes. All without adding to your to-do list. And at a cost that’s far lower than a single security incident.
Drive secure employee behaviour
Cyber security awareness training plays a crucial role in promoting secure behaviour among employees. By providing comprehensive knowledge about various cyber threats and attack techniques, training programs empower individuals to recognise and respond effectively to potential cyber security risks. Through education on best practices, such as creating strong passwords, regularly updating software, and being cautious with sharing sensitive information, employees are equipped with the tools to actively protect themselves and their organisation.
Additionally, training raises awareness about the potential consequences of a security breach, fostering a sense of responsibility and accountability. By encouraging incident reporting and creating a culture of vigilance, organizations can quickly identify and mitigate potential threats. Ongoing education ensures that employees stay up-to-date with emerging threats and new security practices, enabling them to adapt their behaviours and remain proactive in safeguarding against evolving cyber risks.
Benefits of cyber security awareness training
Educate employees
Employees continue to pose the largest security risk with Cybint now reporting that an alarming 95% of data breaches are a result of human error. By providing cyber security education, training and ongoing phishing testing, you can raise understanding, awareness and ensure your staff maintain vigilance and stay up to date with the latest threats which face your business.
Risk reduction
Our security awareness training for employees provides education about potential cyber threats and best practices. Awareness training helps reduce the risk of security breaches, data leaks, and other cyber incidents. Employees become more cautious and better equipped to identify and respond to potential threats, minimizing the likelihood of successful attacks.
Increase customer trust
An online attack can result in your business being exposed to viruses, data breaches, malware, loss of connectivity and, in many cases, a financial impact. When organisations prioritize the security of their systems and customer data, it demonstrates a commitment to protecting sensitive information and ensures not only the safety of customer data but their trust as well.
Meet compliance requirements
Many industries have specific compliance and regulatory requirements related to cyber security. By providing employees with training on these requirements, organisations can ensure compliance and avoid penalties or legal consequences. Ultimately, running a cyber security awareness training programme keeps cyber security front of mind for your employees and gives them a sense of responsibility when dealing with sensitive data.
Enhanced incident response
Cyber security awareness training empowers employees to promptly report suspicious activities or potential security incidents. This early detection enables organisations to respond quickly, investigate the issue, and mitigate any potential damage that has or may occur. Employees who are trained in incident response protocols can play a crucial role in minimising the impact of a security incident or outright preventing a potential data breach.
Cost savings
Keeping employees trained in cyber security awareness can lead to cost savings for any business. SATT mitigates the possibility of costly data breaches and as a result your business will be avoiding the costly impact of theft, damage or loss of data. SATT reduces the likelihood of security incidents, meaning organisations can avoid the financial impact of data breaches, legal liabilities, and potential regulatory fines set out by UK and EU GDPR legislation.
Features of cyber security awareness training
Cyber security education for employees
Stop your employees from causing security incidents! SATT provides cyber security education for employees, which helps to reduce the number of threats to your business by turning your staff into a barrier around your business, removing the risk of any human errors causing a data breach. By training employees how to recognize and respond to cyber threats, organisations can dramatically improve their security posture and cyber resilience, enhancing cyber security awareness within the business. This combined with a range of solutions to monitor and track potential vulnerabilities to your network, you can address potential threats before they even happen.
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Fully managed cyber awareness training
The cyber specialists at Focus Group deliver professional cyber security awareness training that is fully managed, and provides a comprehensive program that offers training and education on cyber security best practices in multiple languages.
Our in house training ensures that employees across different regions and language backgrounds can receive the necessary knowledge and skills to protect themselves and their organisation from cyber threats. By providing training materials, resources, and interactive modules in various languages, our training can effectively communicate important security concepts and promote secure behaviour among a diverse workforce. This approach not only enhances understanding and engagement, but also fosters a culture of cyber security awareness that transcends language barriers, ultimately strengthening the overall security posture of your organisation.
Cyber security e-learning
Our video-based cyber security awareness training is implemented via a web portal so it’s accessible and can be delivered to your timescales. An online quiz is presented to your employees once the training is complete, which gauges levels of understanding and our reporting process highlights where additional training may be required.
E-learning delivered through a video followed is an effective method to educate employees about potential cyber threats and promote secure behaviour and GDPR awareness. This approach combines visual and auditory elements to engage learners and enhance their understanding of key concepts. By presenting information in a video format, employees can grasp complex topics more easily and retain the knowledge for longer periods. The subsequent test serves as an assessment tool, allowing our cyber security specialists to gauge the effectiveness of the training and measure employees' comprehension. This interactive approach not only reinforces learning but also encourages active participation and accountability.
By leveraging e-learning videos and tests, we can regularly and efficiently deliver cyber security awareness training, ensuring that employees are equipped with the necessary knowledge to protect themselves and the organisation from ever evolving cyber threats.
Regular retraining
Vigilance is key. So, most importantly, we’ll keep your employees alert with randomised email phishing tests and provide additional training where necessary. Conducting periodic training sessions serves to reinforce and update employees' knowledge and skills related to cyber security.
As a managed service you can tailor the frequency of these retraining sessions depending on the needs of your organisation and industry standards. Some organisations conduct annual or bi-annual retraining sessions, while others may opt for more frequent sessions, especially in industries with high security risks.
The purpose of regular cyber security awareness retraining is to ensure that employees stay up to date with the latest threats, vulnerabilities, and best practices. It helps reinforce secure behaviours, address any gaps in knowledge, and provide updates on emerging cyber threats and trends.
By conducting regular retraining, your business can maintain a strong security posture, reduce the risk of security incidents caused by human error, and support employees that could pose a greater risk.
Detailed reporting and dashboards
Detailed reporting and dashboards allow you to monitor the progress of your businesses cyber security awareness training and review the phishing test results for each of your employees on an individual level. This will help to gauge levels of compliance and outline further vulnerabilities if employee continue to make mistakes. Our in house cyber security specialists will also monitor the progress of you employees and work actively with your business to ensure processes are put in place should there be the need for further measures to ensure a robust culture of cyber security.
Frequently asked questions
How do you train employees for security awareness?
Cyber security awareness training for employees involves using a combination of e-learning, educational videos, workshops, and ongoing communication efforts. Here is the process of outlining the needs of a business when training employees for security awareness:
- Assessing business needs: Begin by assessing the specific security risks and needs of an organisation: what it its size, industry requirements, legislation in place, etc. This helps in tailoring the training program and outlining other security services that may be required to address the most relevant threats and vulnerabilities.
- Developing Training Materials: We create comprehensive training materials that cover various security topics, such as phishing, password protection, data protection, and safe browsing practices. These materials can include presentations, videos, interactive modules, and written guidelines that will be provided to your employees.
- Simulating Attacks: The cyber security awareness training service regularly simulates phishing or social engineering attacks to test employees' awareness and response. This helps identify areas that need improvement and reinforces the importance of remaining vigilant.
- Reinforcing Knowledge: If employees are still indicating a potential risk after taking the training your account manager will provide ongoing communication and reminders to reinforce security practices. This can include regular newsletters, email updates, posters, or internal messaging systems to keep security awareness top of mind.
- Encouraging Reporting: Emphasize the importance of reporting any suspicious activities or potential security incidents. We will help establish clear channels for reporting with our support teams or alternatively this can be done in house using a dedicated email address or designated point of contact.
- Continuous Education: Cyber threats are evolving all the time, so it's crucial to provide regular updates and additional training sessions to keep employees informed about emerging threats and new security measures. We regularly update our training videos, tests and other material to ensure your employees stay up to date with the latest threats.
- Monitoring and Evaluation: It is important to regularly assess the effectiveness of the training program through surveys, quizzes, or other evaluation methods. Our e-learning will provide employees with quizzes to ensure the learning has been effective and our reporting tool will provide feedback about how they are getting on.
A successful cyber security awareness training program is an ongoing effort that requires commitment from both employees and the organisation. By investing in training and promoting a culture of security awareness, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of cyber threats.
What should security awareness training include?
Cyber security awareness training covers a comprehensive range of topics to effectively educate employees about a wide range of potential cyber threats and promote secure behaviour. Here are some key areas that are be covered:
- Phishing and social engineering: This teaches employees how to identify phishing emails, suspicious links, and deceptive tactics used by cybercriminals to trick them into revealing sensitive information or performing harmful actions.
- Phishing Password security: Educate employees on the importance of creating strong, unique passwords and utilising multi-factor authentication services to prevent 3rd parties gaining access to restricted accounts. This will provide guidance on password management tools and techniques to help them protect their accounts from being hijacked.
- Phishing Data protection: This emphasises the significance of safeguarding sensitive data, both at work and in personal contexts. Train employees on secure data handling practices, encryption methods, and the proper use of removable media. This will also stress the importance of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and how to ensure you keep personal data safe and secure.
- Phishing Malware awareness: Educates employees about different types of malware, such as viruses, ransomware, and spyware. Teach them how to recognise and avoid downloading malicious files or visiting compromised websites. Additionally you can look at implementing web security content filters to prevent access to prevent access sites deemed a potential threat.
- Phishing Mobile device security: Provide guidance on securing employee mobile devices, including setting up strong passcodes/patterns, enabling device encryption, setting up fingerprint recognition and being cautious when downloading apps or connecting to public Wi-Fi networks.
- Phishing Social media and online privacy: Raise awareness about the risks associated with sharing personal information on social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, X and other online channels. Teach employees how to manage privacy settings and avoid oversharing their information online.
- Phishing Incident reporting: Encourage employees to promptly report any suspicious activities or potential security incidents to the appropriate channels within the organisation or service providers. Provide clear guidelines on how to report incidents and assure employees that they will not face repercussions for reporting.
- Phishing Ongoing training and updates: Cyber threats are always evolving rapidly across every industry, so it's crucial to provide regular cyber security awareness training updates and refresher sessions to keep employees informed about emerging threats, new attack techniques, and evolving best practices.
Remember, the specific content and delivery methods of cyber security awareness training may vary depending on the industry, size, and specific security requirements of a business. Training is tailored to address the unique risks and challenges a business can face.
How important is cybersecurity training?
Cyber security awareness training (SATT) equips employees with the knowledge and skills to identify and respond to potential cyber threats. It helps them understand the tactics used by hackers, such as phishing emails or social engineering, and empowers them to take appropriate actions to protect themselves and the organisation.
An online attack can result in your business being exposed to viruses, data breaches, malware, loss of connectivity and, in many cases, a financial impact. Your reputation is also at risk if data is compromised so it’s critical you reassure customers your business goes above and beyond to protect their personal data. As a result of this SATT has become an essential tool for businesses looking to reduce the risk of human error and mitigate the risks of data breaches caused by employees.
How long does cyber awareness training take?
On average cyber security awareness training takes about an hour to complete, the frequency of this will depend entirely on the specific needs of the organisation.
It is important to note that cyber security awareness training is an ongoing process rather than a one-time event. Regular reinforcement and updates are necessary to keep employees informed about the latest threats and best practices.
Does cyber security training work?
The managed cyber security awareness training and testing (SATT) service keeps cyber-crime front of mind with ongoing phishing testing. At risk employees are made aware of mistakes they have made and offered additional training. Combined with support from our dedicated cyber account managers, an impressive 0% click rate can be achieved using this approach to cyber awareness training.
How often should cybersecurity training occur?
There are no fixed time scales for the frequency of cyber security awareness training for a business. The regularity of employee training can vary depending on several factors, including the industry, the size of the business, and any specific security requirements it may have in its policies. However, we generally recommended to conduct cyber security awareness training on a regular basis to ensure that employees stay updated on the latest threats and best practices.
Many businesses opt for monthly or annual training and testing as a minimum requirement. However, some industries with higher security risks, such as finance or healthcare, which may require more frequent refresher training, as they more commonly deal with personal data.
Why are employees considered a security risk?
Employees can be considered a potential cyber security risk due to several factors:
- Human error: Employees may unintentionally engage in risky behaviours, such as clicking on malicious links or downloading infected files, which can lead to security breaches. Mistakes like weak passwords, sharing sensitive information, or falling for phishing scams can also compromise business security.
- Human Lack of awareness: Many employees may not be fully aware of the various cyber threats and the potential consequences of their actions. Without proper training and education, they may unknowingly engage in activities that put the business at risk.
- Human Insider Threats: While rare, employees with malicious intent can intentionally cause harm to the organization's security. This can involve stealing sensitive data, sabotaging systems, or leaking confidential information.
- Human Bring your own device (BYOD): With the increasing trend of employees using personal devices for work purposes, there is a higher risk of security breaches. If these devices are not properly secured or if employees access insecure networks, it can create vulnerabilities that can be exploited by cybercriminals. Educating employees using personal devices of the security risks or supplying work equipment can help to remove the risks associated with BYOD.
- Human Access privileges: Employees with access to sensitive data or critical systems have the potential to misuse or abuse their privileges. This can include unauthorized access, data theft, or unauthorised modifications.
It is important to note that while employees can pose a risk, they can also be a valuable asset in maintaining cyber security. By providing proper training, awareness programs, and implementing security policies, organizations can empower employees to become the first line of defence against cyber threats.
How effective is cyber awareness training?
Cybersecurity awareness training for employees is a highly effective method of improving an organisation's overall cyber security posture. By educating employees about potential cyber threats, best practices for data protection, and how to recognise and respond to phishing attempts or other social engineering techniques, organisations can significantly reduce the risk of successful cyberattacks.
Effective cyber awareness training programs typically cover a range of topics, including password hygiene, safe browsing practices, email security, data handling and protection, and the importance of keeping software and systems up to date. By providing employees with the knowledge and skills to identify and mitigate potential security risks, organisations can create a culture of security awareness and empower employees to be active participants in safeguarding sensitive information.
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