The Need for Ongoing Security Awareness Training

Humans are often regarded as the weakest link in a security breach. According to a study from CompTIA conducted in 2015, which surveyed people from several organizations in the United States, human error represents 52 percent of the cause of security breaches.[1] Businesses spend large amounts of money annually on security solutions but fail to properly address the human element of information security.  Human error, whether accidental or malicious, can cause serious security risks or breaches.

Ongoing training is a key component of any strong security program yet is most often overlooked. Many companies do not have awareness programs planned out for their employees – from management right down to their IT staff. Imagine if employees knew how to store, share and dispose of data in a secure manner that does not put the organization at risk, and also complied with the laws and guidelines governing data confidentiality. Imagine if employees knew how to identify phishing attacks and react to various threats that are likely to occur. Security awareness training helps to build a better security posture and a sense of “culture.” These are just some of the benefits an organization can reap from ongoing training.

To be effective, the program must be ongoing and include continuous training and awareness. A one-time presentation is not sufficient to address the ever-evolving threats faced. Seeing that others in the company are making the effort to become more security-conscious will further encourage employees to continue good security behavior.

How WCG will help

Wilson Consulting Group provides comprehensive training programs designed to help businesses protect data, increase productivity, strengthen professional development, and lower overhead costs. Each training course is designed to meet industry standards for IT professionals, equipping them with the right skills that will help:

• Reduce the duration and impact of attacks by detecting them sooner
• Prevent APTs, breaches and data leakage by recognizing and eliminating vulnerabilities in systems and applications

Being proactive to information security is critical. The most prepared organizations understand that being proactive to security is critical and have a plan to ensure immediate response.

Those organizations that treat cybersecurity as the responsibility of each and every employee, guest, and partner will be the most prepared when an attack occurs.