Cyber Awareness Training is often heralded as the first line of defense against cyberattacks. It's a critical layer of protection for businesses, as employees are frequently the targets of cybercriminals. The numbers paint a stark picture:
- 91% of cyberattacks begin with phishing emails, according to Deloitte.
- Verizon reports that 96% of phishing attacks are delivered via email.
- KnowBe4 highlights that 91% of cyberattacks originate from spear phishing emails.
Despite these alarming statistics, many organizations treat Cyber Awareness Training as a “check-the-box” exercise rather than a sustained, impactful program. With cyber threats evolving rapidly, and with NIST's SP 800-50r1—the first major update to its guidance since 2003—emphasizing the need for a culture of awareness, it's time to rethink how we train employees.
What's Wrong with Traditional Cyber Awareness Training?
The Annual "Compliance-a-thon" Mentality
Traditional training is often condensed into a single session, held annually, and is largely designed to meet compliance requirements. This approach creates a false sense of security and fails to build lasting awareness. You can't create a culture of vigilance with a one-off video or a 30-minute lecture.
Shallow, Narrow Focus
Many programs focus exclusively on phishing awareness or other high-level topics, neglecting broader areas like social engineering, secure software practices, or how attackers exploit human behavior. Employees are left with a fragmented understanding of threats.
One-Size-Fits-All Approach
Not all employees face the same risks. For example, IT staff might need training on secure coding practices (highlighted in recent U.S. Presidential directives), while finance teams need to understand how to spot fraudulent wire transfers. Traditional training fails to tailor content to roles.
Reactive Rather Than Proactive
Current methods often respond to past incidents or trends, rather than anticipating how hackers are adapting their methods. This leaves organizations perpetually playing catch-up.
Lack of Engagement and Retention
Long, static training sessions fail to keep employees engaged. Without reinforcement, the lessons fade quickly, leaving employees unprepared when a real attack happens.
Failure to Include Privacy Training
With NIST SP 800-50r1 now incorporating privacy into its guidelines, organizations need to address privacy risks alongside cybersecurity risks. Traditional training often overlooks this critical area.
A Better Way Forward: Building a Culture of Awareness
Microlearning for Sustained Impact
Deliver bite-sized lessons year-round. These short, focused modules can cover a broader range of topics while reinforcing key concepts regularly. For example:
- Recognizing phishing attempts.
- Understanding social engineering tactics.
- Secure coding practices for IT teams.
- Privacy awareness aligned with regulations like GDPR or CCPA.
Broader and Deeper Curriculum
Expand training to include a wider variety of threats, such as ransomware, insider threats, and IoT vulnerabilities. For IT professionals, include secure coding practices and updates based on the latest vulnerabilities from the CVE database.
Role-Specific Training
Customize training for different teams. For example:
- Executives can focus on high-level risk management and social engineering threats.
- Marketing teams can learn about risks tied to social media or public communications.
- Developers can focus on integrating security into the software development lifecycle.
Continuous Feedback and Engagement
Use gamification, quizzes, and phishing simulations to engage employees and track progress. By making training interactive, employees are more likely to retain and apply what they've learned.
Proactive and Forward-Looking Content
Stay ahead of the curve by integrating real-time threat intelligence into training. Teach employees not just about known threats but about emerging trends in cybercrime.
Incorporating Privacy Training
Privacy is now as important as security. Training should help employees understand the importance of protecting personal data and adhering to privacy regulations, as emphasized in NIST SP 800-50r1.
The Case for Culture
Hackers are relentless, and their methods are increasingly sophisticated. Organizations can no longer rely on outdated, reactive approaches to Cyber Awareness Training. Instead, by adopting a culture of awareness, they can empower employees to be vigilant, proactive defenders against cyber threats.
Cyber Awareness Training isn't just a compliance checkbox—it's an essential investment in your organization's resilience. Let's make it count.