Are Your People Your Strongest Defense or Your Weakest Link?
Today, data breaches and cyberattacks are a constant threat to all organizations. The amount of organizations experiencing breaches was as high as 90% in 2023. But do you know the big role that your frontline workers play?
As much as 88% of data breaches are due to human error. The reason behind it? Well, a lot of the breaches happen because of a lack of cybersecurity awareness within organizations and their employees out on the floor.
Don't despair, though! There is good news to it! By equipping your frontline workforce with proper cybersecurity awareness training, you can significantly reduce this risk of cyber breaches and that your data gets into the wrong hands.
In other words, you can train your people to become hard to fool!
The Cost of Cybercrime and the Need for Basic Cybersecurity Training of the Frontline
Why should you care? The consequences of breaches can be high. From lost revenue, fines, jail time, loss of employment, customers and reputation. 53% of respondents in the Fortinet 2024 Cybersecurity Skills Gap Report say breaches cost them more than $1 million.
Let's get back to the stats we mentioned earlier, though; these highlight the critical need to create a cyber-aware frontline as a first line of defense. Don't get us wrong, a skilled security team and robust cybersecurity solutions are essential.
That said, your frontline holds real power in securing your organization. In the end, it often comes down to clicking or not clicking a link, and if your employees know what to be aware of, breaches and attacks could be stopped.
So, how do you turn your employees into "a human firewall"? Quick answer: Give them cybersecurity awareness training. And how do you do that the best way? Well, further down in this blog text, we will give you a checklist on how you can craft an effective cybersecurity awareness training campaign for your frontline workers.
But we'll start with some good-to-know and industry-specific things to keep in mind.
Here we go:
Let's face it, we've all been there. Busy schedules, too little sleep, and lack of focus can lead to shortcuts like:
- Using weak passwords for convenience
- Skipping security updates
- Clicking on suspicious links in emails
- Unconsciously sharing data that shouldn't be shared
But these are habits that can be improved. With training, the right habits can be built, and we can prevent making wrong decisions that might lead to security breaches or incidents when we are in stressful situations.
Small things as creating strong passwords and using an authentication tool can get you a long way in reducing risks and security incidents.
Forget overwhelming employees with technical jargon. Focus on actionable skills directly related to your frontlines' daily tasks. Of course, this needs to be adjusted for your industry and specific job roles.
Cybersecurity for Specific Industries
Phishing attacks, scam phishing emails, and social engineering cause security threats to all industries. But, as mentioned, different industries might have specific security risks and cyber threats. Here are some crucial areas for awareness in 3 common industries of frontline workers that you might want to consider creating better habits for with adjusted training:
Retail:
- POS security: Handling customer credit card data securely.
- Inventory management systems: Protecting against unauthorized access.
- Customer data privacy: Ensuring responsible handling of customer information.
Hospitality:
- Guest data security: Protecting guest information like credit cards and personal details.
- Wi-Fi network security: Understanding the risks of public Wi-Fi and protecting guest data.
- Property management systems: Safeguarding access to hotel software.
Manufacturing:
- Industrial control systems (ICS) security: Protecting against cyberattacks that could disrupt operations or cause physical damage.
- Supply chain security: Ensuring secure practices within your supply network.
- Intellectual property protection: Safeguarding proprietary information.
Checklist: Create a Solid Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign
1. Practicalities & Brainstorm
- Make a short description of the campaign.
- Why is this project relevant? What’s the purpose?
- Who is the project owner, and who’s the project lead?
- Create ideas for text/headlines/style/colors, etc.
- Consider the use of various platforms/office space/meetings for communication
- Make a draft of the project plan, including launch dates and deadlines
2. Preparation, Involvement & Coordination
- Inform managers about the project, practicalities, and brainstorming.
- Check the budget and align it with the strategy
- Define the area responsible for departments and people involved.
- Finalize the Project Plan with the launch date, deadlines, and the people involved.
- Inform the involved people about the goal, project plan, responsibilities, and deadlines.
3. In Your Digital Learning Platform
- Create a storyboard.
- Consider illustrations/pictures/gamification, AI avatars, video, sound, and events on the platform.
- Test the setup.
4. Internal Communication
- Prepare internal communication for the launch and the end of the campaign
- Prepare an evaluation to send out after the campaign (e.g., a survey on the platform).
5. Launch
- Assign Learning Path to the relevant users.
- Distribute physical materials (QR-codes, posters, decorations etc.)
- Set up digital materials on platforms & send out prepared communication for launching.
6. End of the Campaign
- Send out prepared communication for ending and prepared evaluation.
- Push employees who haven’t completed the learning path or evaluation.
7. After the Campaign
Yes, there is an after-the-campaign, too. And actually, this is a very important step: the evaluation. Make sure to set time to follow up.
This is where you download analytics for the completion of the learning path and the data from the evaluation and analyze it. Can you see an improvement? Are there things to be adjusted for next time, and so on?
Also, remember that quick, digital touch-up learning is always good and can help keep what your employees have learned on top of mind.
Want tips on how to create training for frontline workers specifically? Then have a look here.