Most business owners are rightly concerned about cyberattacks. Even a simple incident of ransomware can be exceedingly costly, while a breach of sensitive data can be a public relations fiasco. Needless to say, it’s wise to put some prudent cybersecurity protocols into place, mitigating risk and shoring up vulnerabilities.

One of your biggest vulnerabilities is your team. In fact, studies show that a majority of small business cyberattacks actually occur due to employee error. This could involve anything from clicking on a malicious link or simply being careless in password creation.

As such, one of the most effective ways to improve your cybersecurity is through team training. Perhaps by working together with HR, your IT team can develop an employee training program that covers the best practices for warding off online attacks.

Tips for Coaching Your Employees

Here are a few guidelines to consider.

Start Early

It’s important to convey to your employees that cybersecurity isn’t incidental; it’s central to your company culture. As such, cybersecurity training should be something that starts very early, ideally as part of the new employee onboarding process.

Have Clear Endpoint Policies

Be sure your employees have clarity about the kinds of devices they are allowed to use to access company data.  These should be clearly written in a policy or handbook, and reviewed with employees during onboarding and periodically to keep it top-of-mind.

Counsel Employees About Passwords

IT should consistently remind employees of the best password practices, urging personnel not to use easy-to-guess passwords like abc134, password1, or their own name and birthday. They should also be reminded that every password should be unique for each login and they should never share passwords with personnel within the company and outside the company.

Encourage Phishing Vigilance

Make sure your employees know about phishing and vishing, and that they are instructed on how to identify signs of a malicious email or text. As a rule of thumb, employees shouldn’t open messages or links from unknown senders, even if they might initially appear legitimate. Encourage employees to report questionable messages to IT.

Urge Employees to Back Up Data

One way to take the sting out of a cyberattack is by regularly backing up important files. Simply having organizational backup options isn’t enough, though. Employees need prompting to back up their own files regularly.  IT should assist in automating this process, if possible.

Teach Employees to Use Multi-Factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication should be used to secure all logins. Have your IT team set up this security protocol, then brief employees on how to use it and why it’s important.

Review Guidelines Regularly

Finally, recognize that going over these best practices just one time isn’t enough. We all need regular reminders, and it can be helpful to have monthly interactive videos sent to employees along with in-person cybersecurity training every 3-6 months.

Work with a Trusted Cybersecurity Expert

Employee training is paramount to any cybersecurity program. As you consider ways to further develop your team, make sure you get the support you need from a trusted cybersecurity company. Reach out to BlueArmor in Charlotte, NC with any questions.