Investing in Information Security Awareness

We are living in a digitalized world, where most day-to-day activities have migrated online. We work, communicate, and interact online, as such our reliance on cybersecurity has increased exponentially. The increased use of the internet is giving more opportunities to cybercriminals to exploit an organization’s vulnerabilities.

According to Cybersecurity Ventures, global cybercrime costs are expected to grow by 15 percent per year over the next five years, reaching $10.5 trillion USD annually by 2025, up from $3 trillion USD in 2015. A cyber-attack might have a huge impact on an organization, causing financial losses, as well as damage to the organization’s reputation.

One of the initial actions that organizations should take in preventing cyber-attacks is information security awareness training. According to Stanford University, approximately 88% of all data breaches are caused by employee mistakes. Human error is still very much the driving force behind an overwhelming majority of cybersecurity problems. 

What is information security awareness? 

Information security awareness is an evolving part of information security that aims to raise consciousness regarding potential risks and threats which target human behavior. 

People are more prone to make mistakes by not following the organization’s practices and policies or by forgetting important actions that should be taken. Hence, human beings are considered one of the weakest links in the organizational digital security system. This is where information security awareness comes in. 

The process of information security awareness includes educating and training employees on different information security threats, as well as potential weak organizational spots. In this regard, employees should learn the best practices and procedures to follow in order to keep data secure. Being aware of the scope of threats and the consequences of not acting properly contributes in minimizing the organization’s potential vulnerabilities. 

Why invest in information security awareness training?

An essential part of an organization is its staff that deals with the organizational day-to-day operations by representing it, dealing with customers, and handling data, among others. A well-informed and trained staff regarding information security possess less risk to the overall security of an organization. 

Mitigating the information risks means fewer financial losses due to cyber-crime. In this regard, the allocated funds for information security awareness training for employees is, essentially, a return on investment. 

Taking this into consideration, a security aware personnel would reduce the chances of a security breach occurring. 

Building a culture of security

Nowadays, a culture of security is being seen as one of the most important aspects of an organization. However, such a culture is equally considered as very difficult to achieve. 

With the aid of information security awareness training courses, organizations are heading in the right direction. 

In this regard, training courses, such as ISO/IEC 27001 Information Security Management System help trainees monitor and develop a culture of security, making the organization’s employees the first line of defense. 

Enhance the organization’s reputation 

Consumers are increasingly aware of cyber threats; therefore, they want to feel safe and secure. In this sense, organizations that take action and ensure security will be able to generate customer trust. 

According to Arcserve report, 70% of consumers feel that businesses are not doing enough to secure their information appropriately. Additionally, 2 out of 3 consumers would avoid doing business with an organization that was involved in a cyberattack previously. 

As such, considering that customers pay attention to security credentials, well-trained personnel would have a huge impact when doing business. 

Compliance with laws and regulations 

With the increased number of laws and regulations worldwide, compliance has become crucial for organizations. 

Specific laws and regulations are demanding specific industries to implement security awareness training. In this way, organizations that practice it become more secure, as well as meet regulatory requirements, as appropriate. 

Training courses such as ISO/IEC 27001 and Cybersecurity Management provide requirements, guidelines, and best practices to be followed, ensuring you will be able to properly manage information within the organization. Conclusively, the training courses would help you establish, implement, maintain, and continually improve the information security management system within the organization. 

Implementing information security awareness training 

The following points should be taken into consideration when deciding to implement an information security awareness training program within the organization: 

Identify the requirements 

Considering that different organizations operate in different industries, the “one-size-fits-all” approach is not always relevant. Hence, for a successful information security awareness training, you should first consider the applicable requirements and then tailor the training accordingly.

Define metrics for success

In the planning phase, you should consider the capabilities of your employees and ensure that the training program will be successful. In addition, you should decide how to measure the organization’s success, meaning that you should decide on the metrics you will use, as well as determine a benchmark before starting the project. 

Focus on practice, not theoretical knowledge

It is very important that employees understand how the content applies in their everyday roles and how to incorporate the knowledge in their daily tasks. 

This is the bridge between knowing and doing. As such, it is important to take realistic examples and case studies that they can follow. Considering this would help in fostering a cultural shift in which security becomes a part of everyday operations. 

Consider an ongoing process

To ensure success and maintain the security culture within the organization, the information security awareness program should be an ongoing process that is reinforced by regular updates throughout the year. 

About the author

Albana Iseni is a Senior Product Marketing Manager for ISR at PECB. She is in charge of conducting market research while developing and providing information related to ISO standards. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact her: marketing.ism@pecb.com.