October is Cyber Security Awareness month in Canada. That link goes directly to a website hosted by the Government of Canada, dedicated to helping individuals and corporations develop cybersecurity awareness.
This year, the campaign is dedicated to teaching Canadians about phishing, one of the most common (and successful) tactics cybercriminals use to gain access to a network.
Cyberattacks cost the Canadian economy a staggering amount each year—the Canadian Chamber of Commerce estimated (very conservatively) that cyberattacks cost the economy a minimum of $540 million in 2021.
In honour of Cyber Security Awareness month, we’re dedicating this article to—you guessed it—cybersecurity awareness.
Employees are at the heart of cybersecurity
As fans of Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man” films, we’re reminded of two quotes from the first film when we think of how employees affect cybersecurity: “With great power comes great responsibility” and “This is my gift, my curse.”
When it comes to securing your network, your employees—in all departments—are your greatest strength and your greatest weakness.
An employee who is cybersecurity aware will be able to spot the signs of trouble before they burgeon into a full-on cyberattack. They’ll be able to detect abnormal activity on the network, spot and report phishing emails, and teach other employees how to be cyber-safe.
An employee who is not cybersecurity aware, on the other hand, may use weak passwords and poorly configured networks. They could fall prey to phishing and social media scams. They are your network’s greatest liability.
How do you turn a liability into a strength? The answer is simple: Cybersecurity awareness training.
Empower your team to fight cybercrime
A comprehensive cybersecurity awareness training program can turn your team of employees into a crack team of cyber sleuths who are constantly vigilant for cyber threats. These programs should never be one-and-done. They should:
We also recommend testing your employees’ cybersecurity knowledge regularly. We understand that not every organization has the knowledge and tools needed to provide cybersecurity awareness training. That’s why we offer cybersecurity awareness training through our Network Security and Cyber Crime Prevention programs.
Remote work has changed cybercrime
Have you updated your cybersecurity awareness program since your workers went remote? Doing so is of the utmost importance.
Poorly configured networks, devices that can be accessed by children, a mix of home computing and business computing—remote work is a minefield of cybersecurity hazards.
By updating your cybersecurity awareness training for remote work and ensuring that your remote staff is educated on the particular risks of remote work, you can do a great deal to secure your network. Ensure that education and testing are routinely offered to your remote team.
Call Constant C for cybersecurity awareness training
October may be cyber security awareness month, but keeping your network secure is essential year-round. To help you learn more about the topic, we’ve created a booklet dedicated to cybersecurity awareness. This booklet is completely free—our gift to you this month.
Looking to create a cybersecurity awareness training program for your team? Get in touch with us—we’ll create a program tailored to your business.
