Cyber security starts with employee education, and incorporating cyber security into your corporate culture will provide immense benefits in the future.

The people who are most familiar with your company’s cyber security risks are your employees. They’re the ones who know what the company does, how it does it, and where its weaknesses lie.

Employees who take the initiative to learn and practice cyber security are more career-minded and are more valuable to your company. They’re also less likely to become victims of phishing or social engineering attacks. This is why cyber security awareness training should be part of every employee’s orientation and ongoing professional development.

You can’t rely solely on IT to protect your company from hackers; you need every employee to be an active participant in keeping your data safe. Educating employees on cyber security practices can help you prevent breaches in your company’s data.

Cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility.

Here are some ways you can educate employees on cyber security practices:

Have clear policies and procedures in place. Make sure everyone knows what they are and that they’re followed consistently. For example, if you require employees to use certain passwords or change them regularly, make sure they know that this is expected and why it matters. Also, make sure these policies are communicated clearly and consistently through internal communications and training sessions with managers.

Make sure everyone understands their own responsibilities when it comes to cyber security issues — what they should do if they spot any suspicious activity on their computer or network; how they should respond if someone requests sensitive data from them; how they should report any incidents that could affect other employees’ information; etc.

Have a BYOD (bring your own device) policy. Many companies allow employees to bring their own devices (BYOD) to work, which means they’ll need additional training on how to use these devices safely so they don’t expose company data or give hackers access to sensitive information stored on them.

Encourage employees to report suspicious emails, viruses, and other incidents they encounter by providing clear instructions on how to do so. Provide an email address dedicated only for this purpose so that people know where they should send these reports to be monitored.

Even with the most sophisticated IT security settings, you’re still going to be vulnerable to attacks if your employees aren’t taking the necessary precautions to avoid being hacked. As such, it’s critical that HR sets up and enforces security measures not just within the company, but among employees as well. After all, cyber-security isn’t just about technical measures, it’s about human behavior too.

Looking for more information?

A cyber liability policy can help cover your business and keep you updated with industry tips like this one. Get in touch with us today to learn more about cyber liability insurance coverage, or set up a no-obligation consultation with a commercial lines expert through TelaClient.com.