4. Gamify your training

    Gamification presents a significant opportunity for improving digital literacy, because it improves engagement. Instead of watching a video and taking a routine quiz, cybersecurity training happens on a competitive, point-earning platform where employees grow their skills alongside each other. Gamification ultimately makes learning fun, and the lessons are more likely to stick.

    Just make sure that as you gamify cybersecurity training, you’re still strategizing. And keep context in mind — while it can be fun to create themed training exercises around celebrations like Halloween, an April Fool’s phishing scheme can come off as tacky or cruel.

    5. Empower your employees

    Your primary goal is to empower your employees through training and resources. When it comes to cybersecurity, one of the resources your organization should be fully utilizing is your IT team.

    Your IT team is most knowledgeable about cybersecurity and cyber-attacks, and they’re best equipped to communicate best practices to your workforce. But communication is a two-way street — IT teams rely on employees to contact them when unusual phishing attacks or cybersecurity issues occur.

    Conclusion

    Employees are your first line of defense. It’s important to prioritize their role in cybersecurity and preventing breaches caused by social engineering or other types of attacks. The most effective cyber-attacks and social engineers use the full arsenal of tools at their disposal — and you need to do the same. Empower your workforce with diverse and ongoing training opportunities and implement cybersecurity practices that turn your teams into your best defense.

    By Justine Fox