Basic Cybersecurity for Employees: A Must-Do During Onboarding

No longer are big businesses the only ones who need to worry about cybersecurity. Cyberattacks on small businesses are becoming more common. The effects of these attacks can range from cash loss to damage to the businesses' reputation. Small companies, on the other hand, often don't think about how important cybersecurity is because they don't have the resources or knowledge to deal with the risks.

Facts:

• Because they don't have as many tools or experts, small businesses are more likely to be attacked online.
• Basic protection measures that are put in place during onboarding can greatly lower the risk of data breaches and financial losses.

Small businesses need to understand that cybersecurity is not an extra cost, but an investment to protect their data and processes. Small companies can do the following by putting cybersecurity first:

• Lower the chance of data breaches: Strong cybersecurity measures can help keep private data like customer data, financial records, and intellectual property from getting into the wrong hands.
• Be careful with their image. A data breach can be very bad for a small business's reputation, causing them to lose customers and possibly even face legal problems.
• Make sure you follow the rules. Many fields have their own data safety and security rules that small businesses must follow. If you don't do this, you could face heavy fines and punishments.

One of the best ways for a small business to improve its cybersecurity is to teach and train its workers. Small businesses can give their new employees the information and skills they need to spot and stop potential threats by including basic cybersecurity training in the onboarding process.

This blog post will give you a full list of all the important safety steps that small businesses should take when they hire new employees. Small businesses can build a strong cybersecurity base and stay safe from threats that are always changing by following these tips.

Create programs to teach employees about cybersecurity.

When it comes to cybersecurity issues, employees are often the weakest link. In fact, 40% of data breaches at small businesses are caused by workers. To lower this risk, it's important to teach workers about the different kinds of cyber threats that could happen so they can spot and stop possible attacks. A good scheme for training employees should include:

How to keep your passwords safe:

• Training to be aware of phishing
• Finding and dealing with malware

Exercises that simulate cyberattacks to see how ready employees are

As soon as possible, cybersecurity training should start, ideally as part of the onboarding process for new employees. This way, good security habits will be in place from the start.

Limit employee access when it's needed to.

A good way to lower the risk of data breaches is to give employees only the access they need for their job to data, tools, and software. For example, people who work in human resources might need to see private employee data like social security numbers, but people who work in sales don't. Giving employees the right amount of access at the start of their job helps protect sensitive data and reduces the chance that someone will get in without permission.

Encrypt your data with SSL.

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption is needed to protect the data sent between a web server and a computer. During transmission, all data stays private. If you want to know if your business website is safe, look for "https://" at the start of the URL. If your website doesn't have an SSL certificate, you should talk to an IT expert about how to choose the right type of SSL for your business. This is especially important if you're in the finance or insurance field.

Keep your business network safe.

To make your business network safer, you can do things like create a separate "guest" Wi-Fi network for guests, encrypt all data flows with a Virtual Private Network (VPN), and make sure that firmware and software are always up to date to avoid security holes.

Use firewalls to keep your network safe.

For keeping an eye on and managing incoming and outgoing network data, firewalls are essential. They are an important line of defense against cyber dangers and can be hardware devices or software programs. On the other hand, firewalls are only one part of a complete protection plan. Talking to an IT expert is the best way to figure out what kind of firewall is best for your business.

Update company devices often

Updating your operating systems and security software is important to keep your business safe from possible threats. To keep everything safe, every device in your company needs to be updated regularly. To make sure that these changes are always made, you might want to set up email, internal messaging, or calendar reminders for the whole company. Getting management to stress how important these updates are can also help get workers to follow good security practices.

1. Stopping data breaches and phishing scams

Good training in information security knowledge is a key part of stopping data breaches and phishing attacks. It might seem easy, but it's actually hard to figure out how many leaks a training program stops. Because of the risks, most companies don't want to do controlled trials that compare workers who have been trained and those who have not. We can figure out the return on investment (ROI), though, by looking at how many incidents happened before and after security awareness actions were put in place. While measures are helpful, it's clear that data breaches can cost millions of dollars, while cybersecurity training is an investment that pays off in a big way.

2. Making a safety-conscious culture

The ultimate goal of cybersecurity experts is to create a culture of security that is focused on people, but this is often hard to do. Adding security principles to the organization's very structure is part of this process, which can be hard. A good human risk management platform should help with this project by making everyone in the company more aware of security issues. This will help create a mindset where everyone is responsible for security.

3. Making technological defenses against cyber threats stronger

Technology protections like firewalls and security software are important for stopping breaches, but only if people use them correctly will they work. These defenses need to be managed by employees, who know how to turn on routers, keep software up to date, and respond to security alerts. Giving workers security awareness training gives them the skills they need to fully utilize these technological defenses, keeping the company's systems safe from possible cyber threats.

4. Making your customers feel better

Customers are worried about cybersecurity more and more, and they expect businesses to keep their info safe. A lot of people think that companies aren't doing enough to protect themselves from online threats, and a big chunk of those people would avoid companies that have recently been attacked. Businesses can show their commitment to security by giving their workers training in cybersecurity awareness. This reassures customers and builds trust, which in turn strengthens the business's reputation and customer loyalty.

5. Meeting the Needs for Compliance

Compliance shouldn't be the only goal of training in hacking. Even though companies have to follow the rules set by regulators, they should aim higher by building a strong security mindset. Comprehensive training in security awareness can naturally lead to compliance as a by-product, rather than as a goal. This makes sure that the company not only meets but also exceeds the necessary cybersecurity standards.

6. Making people more responsible

Not having enough security training is not only bad for the company, but it can also put other networks at risk. Cyberattacks like WannaCry and NotPetya show how quickly threats can spread from one group that is weak to others that are weak. It is a socially responsible choice for a business to invest in cybersecurity awareness training because it helps protect not only its own assets but also those of its partners, users, and the community as a whole.

7. Getting employees to be healthier

Effective training in cybersecurity does more than just keep the company safe; it also helps workers in their personal lives. Cybersecurity threats don't just happen at work. Well-trained workers can protect themselves at home and at work from cyber threats like phishing and social engineering. This method improves the health and happiness of employees by giving them useful skills and peace of mind. This makes the workforce safer and more confident.

Hopefully, basic cyber security for employees onboarding small business checklist must have briefed you about its significance for your business. Small businesses need to make sure that new employees get simple cybersecurity training as part of their onboarding process. Small businesses can make sure that new employees know how important it is to protect data, spot common cyber threats, and use safe online habits by following a thorough cybersecurity plan.

Not only does this approach protect sensitive information, but it also helps the company develop a culture where security comes first. Updating your training on a regular basis will make your defenses even stronger and keep your team ready for new threats. To keep the work environment safe, cybersecurity is put first during onboarding. Think about working with SafeAeon today for complete cybersecurity options.

1. What are some main types of cyber threats that workers should be aware of?

Common threats that can weaken business security include phishing attacks, malware, ransomware, social engineering, and data breaches. Employees should be aware of these threats.

2. What can workers do to keep their passwords safe?

To keep their passwords safe, employees should use a password manager, make strong, unique passwords for each account, and turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA) whenever they can.

3. What do workers do to help keep cybersecurity safe?

Following security policies, keeping alert to threats, reporting suspicious activities, and using secure communication channels are all very important things that employees can do to help keep the company safe.

4. How can a small business tell if its hacking training is working?

A small business can find out how well its cybersecurity training is working by giving regular tests like quizzes, simulated phishing attacks, and feedback polls to see where people don't know enough and where they can improve.