Security News > 2020 > October > Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Train employees to be first line of defense
A cybersecurity expert warns that during Cybersecurity Awareness Month it is time for the enterprise to emphasize training that doesn't just keep their employees from putting the business at risk, but "Empowers them to become the organization's first line of defense."
Last year's Cybersecurity Awareness Month presented a different set of issues than this year's.
Use Cybersecurity Awareness Month to connect with employees about cybersecurity: "It's really important to project a positive, optimistic attitude about employee resilience: Use stories to help people see how cybersecurity connects with their lives, promote positive narratives that empower people to take control of their digital lives, at work and at home and use humor to delight people. Why? Because delighted people are more likely to listen to what you have to say! Use them year round and get more people interested in the role cybersecurity plays in their lives," said Tom Pendergast, chief learning officer at MediaPro.
Open up communication between IT and employees: "Our past research indicates that the majority of employees say they either usually or almost always follow the advisory of their IT department. IT teams just need to make sure they are providing this guidance on a regular basis," said Andrew Homer, vice president of security strategy at Morphisec.
"The surge in WFH employees has placed a great deal of pressure on IT and security departments. Security professionals were not only tasked with the challenge of quickly creating a remote environment, but they also had to handle the larger attack surface created by such a work style while working themselves remotely. Attackers are actively targeting the vulnerabilities created among distributed teams," Homer said.