Improving digital security isn’t the responsibility of a single person; it’s a team effort. When everyone knows what can happen, and how, it becomes easier to implement new solutions that reduce risk.
If you’ve read part 1 of our ‘How to Improve Digital Security in the Workplace’ series, you’ll know that we touched briefly on the importance of getting everyone on the same page. Tools, practices, and processes designed to enhance cyber security will only work if they’re adopted and utilised. And ultimately, they’re only going to be adopted and utilised if everyone is clear on why they’re needed.
‘Breaches only happen to other businesses’
The problem that exists across many organisations today is that security events are viewed as things that happen to other businesses. But not to your own, right? That’s a belief many employees have, and it’s easy to see why. They’re confident that they’re not doing anything to put the business at risk.
But the truth is that anyone – and we mean anyone – can make an error that could make a breach more likely. Especially at a time when hacking techniques are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
In fact, in a 2022 report, it was found that 95% of cybersecurity issues are the result of human error. Anything from sending the wrong attachment to using a weak password, to clicking on the wrong link can increase risk. And it’s important that everyone understands that digital risk is always present.
Understanding is key. Improving digital security isn’t the responsibility of a single person; it’s a team effort. When everyone knows what can happen, and how, it becomes easier to implement new solutions that reduce risk. But how can you boost awareness of cyber security in the workplace?
3 ways to boost awareness & understanding
Here are some effective methods for improving awareness of digital security across your teams:
1. Document the risks within your industry
Regardless of whether you operate within retail, not-for-profit, professional services, or any other sector, every industry has its own unique risks. It’s a good idea to document them, along with any additional risks present within your working environment. This will help to ensure that everyone understands what could happen, and the impact that a security event could have on your organisation.
2. Assess your position
Every organisation will have some things that it’s already doing well in terms of digital security, and areas where there’s room for improvement. When teams understand where the vulnerabilities lie within the organisation, they may be more open to adopting new ways of working to bridge these security gaps. Undertaking a security assessment can help employees become more aware of the risk.
3. Ensure ongoing training
Ultimately, the best way to improve awareness of digital security is to include it as standard in employee training exercises and onboarding procedures. Ensuring that every member of the team knows how to identify risk, how to report risk, and how to respond to risk is absolutely essential. As cyber risk is continually evolving, training should be regular and ongoing, not a one-time thing.
At Reliable Networks, we believe that greater awareness results in greater willingness to implement a solution. However, it’s still just one part of the puzzle. Join us for part 3 of our digital security series where we explore the need for workplace cyber policies – and get in touch with us for more support.
