What Employees Should Know About Cybersecurity

Cybercrime is on the rise, so it is more important than ever for businesses to make sure their employees are aware of potential security risks and what they can do to stay safe. Cybersecurity awareness training should be done regularly to remind employees of the potential dangers and how to protect themselves and the company. Some of the topics to cover during the training sessions include the following.

Everyone is a Potential Target

Many people assume that the primary target is the business or the CEO. However, most of the time, the initial target is a low-level employee, as it is often easier for hackers to get their usernames and passwords to gain access to the system. From there, the hacker can get the information and data they need. Everyone in the company is a potential target, so everyone should take precautions.

The Right Password Makes a Difference

Another common error that can lead to problems is simple passwords that are easy to guess. Passwords should be longer, and it’s recommended to use unusual phrases with numbers instead of just a few letters and numbers. It’s never a good idea to leave any password set to “password” as this is often the first guess a hacker will make. More unique passwords, as well as those that are longer, are more challenging for hackers to guess.

How to Avoid Phishing Attempts

Phishing attempts are incredibly common today, and it’s easy to fall for them. Many people don’t pay close enough attention to who sent an email, and then they’ll click a link and try to sign in with their username and password. Unfortunately, the email name might be close to the correct one, but it’s actually a hacker, and as soon as they log into the fake site, the hacker has their username and password. The best way to avoid these is to never click on links in emails and pay close attention to who is sending them.

Reporting Anything Suspicious

If an employee isn’t sure if an email is legitimate, they should call the person who sent it to see if it was actually sent by them. If they’re unsure if a website is legitimate or if there is anything else suspicious during their workday, it’s important for them to contact the IT support team right away. The faster issues are detected, the faster they can be stopped. This could help prevent a hacking attempt. It’s always better to go ahead and ask for help rather than assume everything is okay, especially if something doesn’t seem right.

Any business – and any employee – is at risk of becoming a victim of cyber crimes, so it’s important to have regular training sessions to remind everyone how to stay safe. These are just some of the topics that can be covered in depth during the training session. The most important thing to remind everyone of is to ask for help at the first sign of anything suspicious, as this can help prevent potential issues.