Technology directly impacts the functionality and success of today’s organizations. The backbone of any company’s success is data which holds extreme value. Employees must be adequately trained and prepared for any threats that could jeopardize an organization’s privacy and well-being.
Oftentimes, however, small businesses aren’t ready for the countless and versatile cybersecurity threats that are ever-changing in today’s landscape of the internet. A survey from the U.S. Small Business Administration revealed that 88% of small businesses understand they are vulnerable to a cyberattack yet are still unsure about what prevention methods to deploy when attempting to prevent a breach.
Check out what our experts have to say about the importance of cybersecurity awareness training for small businesses.
Save both time and money.
Implementing prevention methods learned in cybersecurity awareness training can alleviate financial loss caused by cybercrime down the road. Cyber attackers can be detrimental to businesses of all sizes, but small businesses are attractive targets because they typically lack the cybersecurity precautions of larger organizations.
A whopping 60% of all small businesses that fall victim to a cybersecurity attack permanently close within six months of the attack. Cybersecurity awareness training reduces the risk of things going south — fast — following a breach.
Mitigate liability for employee behavior.
From a legal standpoint, investing in a cybersecurity awareness training program within your business can prevent workers from chalking foul play up to ignorance, whether accidental or intentional. Business owners can verify that all employees are properly trained and fully understand security policies, online network safety, and general security awareness.
A shift in culture.
The importance of cybersecurity awareness training doesn’t just mean your finances are safer off, but rather it extends to a new workplace culture. Cybersecurity isn’t just the work of your IT team or one person, but the entire organization’s dedication to protection and safety. Yet, it only takes a single person to introduce a vulnerability to your business’ network, which will yield detrimental results.
Security awareness training programs shift the mindset of your employees to a cybersecurity-focused type of thinking. Employees will not only try to act safer and more precautionary when using the internet, but also know how to correctly navigate the online world without putting themselves or your company at risk.
Meet compliance standards.
Businesses typically need to meet certain compliance standards per federal or state laws. Industries such as healthcare and finance require role-based training to ensure that sensitive data is being properly maintained.
However, undergoing cybersecurity awareness training for the sole purpose of compliance will not work. Instead, this is just one of the benefits for small businesses. While meeting compliance is nice, it’s even better to know your employees aren’t going to click on embedded email links from untrusted sources.
Ready for cybersecurity awareness training?
The benefits of cybersecurity awareness training means more than saving a lot of money from a cyberattack or, even worse, closing your business. It also introduces a fresh and safe mindset in the workplace and prepares employees for the possible threats they might encounter.
At radius180, we’d love to help your small business implement a security awareness program. Contact us now, and let’s #DoA180 — together.
