Smart companies take the time to train their employees. Just one failure to fix a flaw quickly could leave your employer vulnerable to a cyberattack. Phishers prey on employees in hopes they will open pop-up windows or other malicious links that could have viruses and malware embedded in them. Companies ranging from Amazon, Microsoft, and Google to local design shops have asked employees to work from home. While your employees may pose a security risk, with the right training you can reduce the risk of falling victim to cyber crime. If you’re unsure about a policy, ask. One pitfall some companies fall into is running org-wide security awareness training and then thinking that single course engagement protects them and their employees moving forward. Cyberthreats often take aim at your data. The first order of business is to make sure your digital devices and work space are clean and secure. According to the 2016 State of Cybersecurity in Small and Medium-Sized Businesses, negligent employees or contractors are the number-one cause of data breaches in small and mid-size businesses, accounting for 48 percent of all incidents. Don’t just rely on your company’s firewall. Antivirus and anti-malware protections are frequently revised to target and respond to new cyberthreats. Companies also should ask you to change your passwords on a regular basis. Consider that all privacy starts with the employees. No one can prevent all identity theft or cybercrime. The quicker you report an issue, the better. Hackers can even take over company social media accounts and send seemingly legitimate messages. But we’re also passionate about studying and altering human behavior when it comes to information security. Hackers often target large organizations, but smaller organizations may be even more attractive. Security awareness training for end users is often too broad and sporadic to cultivate real needed skills for safe operation on networks. It is a sensible thing for businesses and employees to follow these tips. It’s also important to stay in touch when traveling. HR professionals are uniquely positioned to understand the role of trained employees in cyber risk mitigation and to mediate solutions for an organisation’s cyber security challenges. It’s important to exercise the same caution at work. The e-mail below will provide your employees with the necessary knowledge to identify and avoid whaling attacks: Dear team, In an effort to further enhance our company’s cyber defenses, we want to highlight a common cyber-attack that everyone should be aware of – whaling. Following IT security best practices means keeping your security software, web browsers, and operating systems updated with the latest protections. Security Feud is a fun, manageable step toward immersive learning, available now for October Cyber Security month. Refrain from opening emails from untrustworthy sources. You’ll usually be notified that the email has been sent to a quarantine folder, where you can check to see if it’s legitimate or not. Those requirements are reserved for special positions and departments. Not all products, services and features are available on all devices or operating systems. If you’re unsure, IT can help. By training employees how to recognize and respond to cyber threats, organizations can dramatically improve their security posture and cyber resilience. If you want to back up data to the cloud, be sure to talk to your IT department first for a list of acceptable cloud services. We’ve compiled the five most important cyber security tidbits for employees. 1. Violation of the policy might be a cause for dismissal. Beware of phishing. Firewalls prevent unauthorized users from accessing your websites, mail services, and other sources of information that can be accessed from the web. Important files might be stored offline, on an external hard, drive, or in the cloud. Instead, contact your IT department right away. The important thing is to assess your business, uncover any weak points and communicate the best processes to all staff. Why? Installing updates promptly helps defend against the latest cyberthreats. Keep in mind that cybercriminals can create email addresses and websites that look legitimate. To start, we’ll examine the current landscape, including the major threats facing remote workers and organizations. Because, let’s face it, most IT security threats these days are designed exploit poor end-user security behaviours Having the right knowledge — like the 10 cybersecurity best practices that every employee should know — can help strengthen your company’s breach vulnerabilities. Start off by explaining why cyber security is important and what the potential risks are. While increasingly common even before the virus, remote work brings its own unique set of cybersecurity challenges. Here’s an example. Effective cyber security training is difficult to do well. You might be an employee in charge of accessing and using the confidential information of customers, clients, and other employees. Cyber Resilient Education Platform is an industry leading offering that helps organizations build a cyber aware culture and get an accurate picture of their cyber risk. Install one on your home network if you work from home. The cybersecurity practices mentioned above go a long way to support you in safeguarding your data. Training doesn’t have to come in the form of a quarterly … Education is the key, but a … Having a firewall for the company network and your home network is a first line of defense in helping protect data against cyberattacks. Creating unique, complex passwords is essential. One of the major reasons why such problems happen lies in the fact that employees are not properly prepared to handle cybersecurity problems. How to limit screen time and which apps would help you do it. An IT security awareness training program for employees can be hard to implement. We crowdsourced 19 cyber security-themed questions to create this awesome resource just for you! Here’s a fact that might be surprising. Smaller businesses might hesitate when considering the cost of investing in a quality security system. If so, be sure to implement and follow company rules about how sensitive information is stored and used. The Android robot is reproduced or modified from work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License. The following are a few of the things an organization should examine to ensure its cybersecurity when employees work remotely: VPN – Employees working remotely should use a VPN. Even if it’s accidental, sharing or using the IP or trade secrets of other companies could get both you and your company into trouble. -, Norton 360 for Gamers However, cybersecurity defense training should be an ongoing investment in your virtual protection. Share this quiz online with your co-workers. Your IT department is your friend. They might not be aware of all threats that occur. Staying on top of these cybersecurity practices could be the difference between a secure company and one that a hacker might target. So, you’ll need to earn the buy-in of employees, and make cybersecurity a … An additional five percent are the work of malicious insiders. By the same token, be careful to respect the intellectual property of other companies. Beware of tech support scams. It’s important to restrict third-party access to certain areas and remember to deactivate access when they finish the job. General Cyber Security Practices That Your Employees Should Adopt. This also applies to personal devices you use at work. Your company may have comprehensive cybersecurity policies for you and coworkers to follow. Don’t provide any information. Consider this: A single employee could make a mistake by sharing sensitive company information on their smartphone or clicking on a corrupt link — and that could lead to a data breach. How many hours of training does an employee need? If you have issues adding a device, please contact Member Services & Support. Imagine waking up one day only to realize that the company you work for has been hacked. If an offer seems too good to be true, it usually is. Your files are missing, bank accounts are hijacked, and sensitive information is on the loose. All of the devices you use at work and at home should have the protection of strong security software. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Alexa and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. If you’re unsure about the legitimacy of an email or other communication, always contact your security department or security lead. Create Strong Passwords (lots of people had dogs named Chester) One person’s weak password has the potential to compromise not only an entire organization’s data, but also … If your company has a VPN it trusts, make sure you know how to connect to it and use it. Maybe you wear a smart watch at work. § Dark Web Monitoring in Norton 360 plans defaults to monitor your email address only. Take a look: 1. Cybersecurity best practices encompass some general best practices — like being cautious when engaging in online activities, abiding by company rules, and reaching out for help when you encounter something suspicious. A strong password contains at least 10 characters and includes numbers, symbols, and capital and lowercase letters. In your daily life, you probably avoid sharing personally identifiable information like your Social Security number or credit card number when answering an unsolicited email, phone call, text message, or instant message. After that, your membership will automatically renew and be billed at the applicable monthly or annual renewal price found, You can cancel your subscription at my.norton.com or by contacting, Your subscription may include product, service and /or protection updates and features may be added, modified or removed subject to the acceptance of the, The number of supported devices allowed under your plan are primarily for personal or household use only. It’s part of your job to engage in safe online behavior and to reach out to your IT department when you encounter anything suspicious or need help. Employees need to be trained on a core of cyber hygiene, and have a greater awareness of broader issues such as data security and privacy, and cyber ethics – all of which create risk and open up opportunity for enterprises. Follow us for all the latest news, tips and updates. Don’t let a simple problem become more complex by attempting to “fix” it. Emphasize the Importance of Cyber Security. A little technical savvy helps, too. ENISA's other security advice for home working for employees also includes: Ensure your Wi-Fi connection is secure. (You can retake the quiz as many times and learn from these questions and answers.) © 2020 NortonLifeLock Inc. All rights reserved. It’s also the way most ransomware attacks occur. The abovementioned report by Kaspersky, in 40% of companies worldwide, employees hide a security incident when it happens. If you’re in charge of protecting hard or soft copies, you’re the defender of this data from unauthorized third parties. Copyright © 2020 NortonLifeLock Inc. All rights reserved. The goal is to trick you into installing malware on your computer or mobile device, or providing sensitive data. Companies and their employees may also have to monitor third parties, such as consultants or former employees, who have temporary access to the organization’s computer network. Policy brief & purpose. Microsoft and the Window logo are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Since the policies are evolving as cybercriminals become savvier, it’s … The more we rely on technology to collect, store and manage information, the more vulnerable we become to severe security breaches. Not for commercial use. GET DEAL. Take the fun interactive Information Security Awareness Quiz for Employees – FREE 20 Questions. Your company can help by employing email authentication technology that blocks these suspicious emails. Employers are responding to COVID-19 by allowing, and even mandating remote working. If you have issues adding a device, please contact, Norton 360 for Gamers Not all products, services and features are available on all devices or operating systems. That’s why organizations need to consider and limit employee access to customer and client information. Learning the process for allowing IT to connect to your devices, along with basic computer hardware terms, is helpful. When you work at a small or midsize company, it’s smart to learn about cybersecurity best practices. Norton Secure VPN provides powerful VPN protection that can help keep your information private on public Wi-Fi. Include training in the onboarding process Employees need to be informed of new cyber risks and reminded of their role in effectively preventing, detecting, responding to, and recovering from cyberattacks. When you Bring Your Own Device — also known as BYOD — ask your IT department if your device is allowed to access corporate data before you upload anything to it. Companies may also require multi-factor authentication when you try to access sensitive network areas. Reach out to your company’s support team about information security. That said, the best thing you can do to prevent cyber attacks without hiring only cyber-security-trained employees is to educate them yourself. Our company cyber security policy outlines our guidelines and provisions for preserving the security of our data and technology infrastructure.. Office Wi-Fi networks should be secure, encrypted, and hidden. Remember to make sure IT is, well, IT. It’s also smart to report security warnings from your internet security software to IT. That’s why it’s important to be cautious of links and attachments in emails from senders you don’t recognize. It might sound obvious, but it’s important not to leak your company’s data, sensitive information, or intellectual property. That knowledge can save time when you contact support and they need quick access and information to resolve an issue. “Bottom line: it doesn’t matter what firewall or intrusion detection or VPN you use if your employees don’t understand the significance of data privacy and protection. Remember: just one click on a corrupt link could let in a hacker. This adds an additional layer of protection by asking you to take at least one extra step — such as providing a temporary code that is sent to your smartphone — to log in. Phishers try to trick you into clicking on a link that may result in a security breach. Cyber security awareness training for employees helps to address one of the biggest factors in major security breaches: human error. Here’s a rule to follow: Never enter personal or company information in response to an email, pop-up webpage, or any other form of communication you didn’t initiate. Your company may have comprehensive cybersecurity policies for you and coworkers to follow. If you educate yourself about the small things that contribute to cybersecurity, it can go a long way toward helping to protect your organization. But even with these protections, it’s important to stay on guard to help … There may be a flaw in the system that the company needs to patch or fix. You can rest assured that your workforce will be confident in the decisions they make when creating new passwords, filtering through suspicious emails or browsing the internet. *Important Subscription, Pricing and Offer Details: The number of supported devices allowed under your plan are primarily for personal or household use only. It’s important for your company to provide data security in the workplace, but alert your IT department or Information Security manager if you see anything suspicious that might indicate a security issue. Your company may have the best security software and most comprehensive office policies, but your actions play a big part in helping to keep data safe. Phishing can lead to identity theft. Changing and remembering all of your passwords may be challenging. Top Cyber Security Tips You Should Be Teaching Your Employees. This means: Reduce or remove desktop clutter, stray files and changing information ends. 5 Cybersecurity Tips For Employees. NortonLifeLock, the NortonLifeLock Logo, the Checkmark Logo, Norton, LifeLock, and the LockMan Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of NortonLifeLock Inc. or its affiliates in the United States and other countries. If you’re working remotely, you can help protect data by using a virtual private network, if your company has one. If you’re an employee, you are on the front lines of information security. Please login to the portal to review if you can add additional information for monitoring purposes. TO GET STARTED: Security Feud is a PowerPoint Presentation with lots of animation. It is essential that employees can quickly find where to report a security incident. Let your IT department know before you go, especially if you’re going to be using public Wi-Fi. System requirement information on norton.com. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Training your employees and yourself on cybersecurity-related safety and best practices will create a sense of empowerment, not only in the office, but remotely. For instance, if you share a picture online that shows a whiteboard or computer screen in the background, you could accidentally reveal information someone outside the company shouldn’t see. Ask your company if they provide firewall software. Employees are the first line of defence against cyber-attack, and also – potentially – an SME’s most glaring vulnerability. And when employees are bored, they can't engage with the content. Your company will probably have rules about how and where to back up data. Your company can help protect its employees, customers, and data by creating and distributing business policies that cover topics such as how to destroy data that’s no longer needed and how to report suspicious emails or ransomware. And keeping your defense strong will take the whole company, working together as one. You might receive a phishing email from someone claiming to be from IT. It’s common for data breaches to begin from within companies. A side by side comparison of the most promising COVID-19 vaccines. Your email address will not be published. Organizations can make this part of their AEU policy. Here’s a deeper dive into the 10 cybersecurity best practices for businesses that every employee should know and follow. Always be sure to use authorized applications to access sensitive documents. Simple passwords can make access easy. You’ll also want to know and follow your company’s Acceptable Electronic Use (AEU) policy. Keeping a Clean Desktop and Mobile Device. Organizations have spent the last decade building and ensuring IT systems are secure. When walking away from the workstation, ensure that your laptop is locked. That includes following them. But even with these protections, it’s important to stay on guard to help assure your company’s data and network are safe and secure. Be cautious. A password manager can help. However, they often do not have expertise in cyber security and they may even lack any specific technical expertise in cyber … If your company sends out instructions for security updates, install them right away. Strong, complex passwords can help stop cyberthieves from accessing company information. Does it make a difference if you work for a small or midsize company? You and your employees have legal and regulatory obligations to respect and protect the privacy of information and its integrity and confidentiality. Download Security Feud! Recalibrate cyber awareness programs to measure, track, and improve the cyber risk culture of your employees, management teams, and cybersecurity professionals in the new cyber normal. Give employees a cape Employees might be the primary target for cyber attacks, but they’re also your first line of defense. TechEngage® is a Project of TechAbout LLC. If you’re an employee, you are on the front lines of information security. Many people are aware that using a VPN will bypass geographic restrictions on streaming sites and other location-specific content. With that in mind, here’s how to create effective cybersecurity training for your employees. Continually emphasize the critical nature of data security and the responsibility of each employee to protect company data. Employees are a company's greatest asset, but also its greatest security risk. Stolen customer or employee data can severely affect individuals involved, as well as jeopardize the company. -, 10 cybersecurity best practices that every employee should know. 6 Cyber Security Tips for Employees in 2019 Posted by Reece Guida on July 31, 2019 Regardless of their age, role, or security competency, employees must follow basic practices to protect organization and its data. As Brent crude rises – are energy stocks a good bet? It’s important to protect personal devices with the most up-to-date security. Public Wi-Fi networks can be risky and make your data vulnerable to being intercepted. By extending cyber security awareness from the office to the home, your employees are protecting the … With just one click, you could enable hackers to infiltrate your organization’s computer network. 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