Why (and How) You Should Educate Employees on Cybersecurity

According to a recent PriceWaterhouseCoopers survey, 86% of business executives expressed concern about cyber threats and lack of data security. However, when developing cybersecurity programs, many businesses focus on protecting their infrastructure perimeter and device endpoints. But it’s also important to consider what happens when a threat bypasses perimeter defenses and targets an employee in the form of a malicious email or text.

Stronger cybersecurity has become a global priority as hackers penetrate IT infrastructures with increasing frequency and sophistication. According to the FBI, phishing was the most common type of cybercrime in 2020, with incidents nearly doubling from 114,702 incidents in 2019 to 241,324 incidents in 2020. Not surprisingly, losses from business email compromise (BEC) has skyrocketed over the last year. The FBI’s Internet Crime Report shows that in 2020, BEC scammers made over $1.8 billion. Coupled with the Internet of Things (IoT) and the explosive growth of mobile devices, the potential for data leaks is even more significant.

Educating employees on what it takes to protect proprietary documents and data is critical. Any data leaks—whether intentional or unintentional—could potentially damage your bottom line and your industry reputation. It only takes one incident to destroy the goodwill you worked so hard to establish.

The attached eBook is a guide for what employees need to know, such as:

• How to detect phishing attempts
• The importance of strong passwords
• Browsing the web securely
• The challenges of bringing your own mobile device
• The dangers of a messy desk (who knew?)

Strengthening your business’ cybersecurity posture begins with educating your employees. The tips provided within this eBook can go a long way in making sure sensitive information does not fall into the wrong hands. In today’s world of advanced hackers, your confidential information is at risk, but a comprehensive cybersecurity defense can stack the odds in your favor.

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