OCTOBER IS CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS MONTH

Cybercrime is moving at light speed. A few years back, our number one concern was identity theft, but cybercriminals have gotten smarter, and the game has become even more lucrative. At present, cybercrime is a multibillion-dollar industry costing the global economy $2.9 million every minute. The bad guys have figured out how to exploit and trick us on a much larger scale, and they are not going away. Predictions are that cybercrime will cost the world $10.5 trillion, annually, by 2025.

But, how?

They take over your organization’s network, hack into your bank accounts, deploy Ransomware, and steal tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars. They have figured out how to circumvent security systems through many attack vectors, but the one method that is proven to be the most successful is humans. Social Engineering, and specifically Phishing, has become one of the easiest ways for an attacker to gain access to an organization’s digital assets.

Hacked Human Behavior

Some argue our behavior is predictable, and others will say that it is our unpredictability that is the problem. This one thing is certain: our behaviour and the decisions we make can be influenced by many things – illness or fatigue, stressful and overloaded work schedules, and countless personal distractions – and that is precisely what hackers are looking to exploit.

Because every business employs people, no matter how big or small, organizations of every size and in every industry are at risk. To defend against Phishing attacks, you need to build a strong, frontline human firewall that, no matter the distraction, will not be fooled. Equipping your teams with awareness and knowledge could prevent a breach, and save you extensive downtime, and a costly recovery.

Build an Effective Cybersecurity Training Program

To be aware, you need to be able to understand how the bad guys think, and there is no better way to prepare yourself and those within your organization than an ongoing cybersecurity awareness training program – providing scheduled training, simulated phishing tests, and engaging, relevant scenarios and content. There are many cybersecurity awareness training platforms available on the market that are designed to help you build a successful program.

Online’s Risk, Security, and Privacy team is familiar with many cybersecurity training platforms available and offer the following considerations when evaluating the different options:

• Content - is there a vast variety of videos, games, posters, and Phishing templates that will connect to your organization's interests and time commitment?
  
  
• Ease of Use - is it user-friendly and intuitive? Easy to integrate with your network?
  
  
• Cost - is it scalable to your budget? 
  
  
• Language - is this a requirement for your multinational organization? What languages are available? 
  
  
• Reporting - can you customize and export reports? 
  
  
• Targeted Groups - can you create groups to deploy targeted training and testing? 
  
  
• Support - will you have a dedicated rep? Will you need support to create and manage your cybersecurity awareness program? 

Online Commitment

Online Business Systems has partnered with KnowBe4 to create an engaging program for our Clients and help manage the ongoing problem of social engineering. We have implemented security awareness programs for many of our clients and have seen firsthand the value these programs bring.

The Value of our KnowBe4 Partnership

KnowBe4 is a trusted leader in the security industry, and together, we have implemented many successful campaigns for our Clients. Knowbe4’s Security Awareness Training and Simulated Phishing platform has an extensive library of training tools and templates with always-fresh engaging content, which has been well-received by many, including our own team of Onliners!

It's important that the program is scaled to fit your organization – whether a company with only 20 employees or on a larger scale with over 15,000 employees. You might need a simplified program that starts with the basics, or you might need a customized Phishing campaign for multinational organizations with multiple offices. Wherever you fall on the spectrum we’ve found that the more relevant and interactive the training, the better your teams will be able to truly get a sense of what the bad guys are up to, and what tactics they are using today.

When it comes to cybersecurity, the best kind of training is a blend of videos, seminars, and teachable moments. Lessons are learned through ongoing, replicated exposure to real-world scenarios and Phishing attempts that make teams aware and able to detect scam emails more readily.

A commitment to cybersecurity awareness education is an investment that will arm your organization’s human firewall to be able to make smarter security decisions and understand the appropriate action to take when they spot a Phish. Be CyberAware and stay CyberStrong.

To learn more about Online’s Cybersecurity Awareness Training services, reach out to Michael Primeau – Principal Consultant, RSP at info@obslobal.com

DO YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KEEPING YOUR ORGANIZATION CYBER AWARE?

We'd love to hear from you and share strategies you can leverage to keep your entire organization cyber-aware throughout the year.