Businesses are under daily threat of security breaches, with an estimated 60% of those threats coming from within. Employees who handle sensitive information risk accidentally exposing data to malicious actors.
Because of the risk of human error in handling sensitive data, cyber awareness training is a critical investment for modern businesses.
In this guide to the importance of security awareness training, we’ll cover some of the primary benefits of investing in cybersecurity training for your team and how it can help prevent data breaches and cyber attacks.
Experience the Benefits of Cyber Security Training Today
The 7 Benefits of Security Awareness Training
1. Prevent Cyber Attacks
The most important benefit of cybersecurity training is that it can reduce the likelihood of successful cyber attacks and data breaches.
Cybersecurity training increases employee awareness about the different types of security threats and the necessary steps to prevent threats from being realized.
A successful cybersecurity training program helps prevent cyber attacks by:
- Building a company culture of cybersecurity awareness
- Developing protocols to avoid mistakes that lead to cyber attacks
- Teaching employees how to recognize common cybersecurity risks
- Implementing improved data hygiene practices across the workforce
Cybersecurity training content, like phishing simulations and data breach protocols, can help further prepare employees to better respond to cyber threats.
2. Improve Cyber Resilience
Cyber resilience is the ability to adequately respond to cyber threats and bounce back from attacks with minimal damage.
Identifying, stopping, and recovering from cyber attacks is a team effort, as all impacted stakeholders play a role in following cybersecurity protocols.
During cybersecurity training, experts lead teams through possible security breach scenarios and teach them how to respond to mitigate damage.
With training programs, experts can educate employees on how to not only keep sensitive information secure but what to do when they suspect a breach has occurred.
3. Save Time and Money
According to IBM’s Cost of Data Breach 2022 report, data breaches cost U.S. businesses an estimated $9.44 million in both direct and indirect costs, including unproductive downtime.
Whether through a malicious attack from a third party, an inside threat, or simple human error, security breaches can result in significant losses in time and money.
Some of the costs businesses incur from a lack of cybersecurity awareness include:
- Lost or damaged customer relationships
- Damage to public image and business reputation
- Downtime to fix problems caused by cyber threats
- Potential lawsuits from those affected by data breaches
4. Build Customer Trust
One of the essential benefits of security awareness training is that it establishes trust between businesses and customers.
When searching for reliable vendors to handle sensitive information, customers want to know their data will be kept in safe hands by companies that are competent and well-informed on cybersecurity practices.
Due to recent high-profile data breaches, customers are increasingly hesitant to trust companies with their private information, especially if the company has been hacked in the past.
By investing in cyber awareness training, your business can demonstrate that data protection is a top priority. As a result, customers may be more willing to choose your services over a competitor’s because of the reassurance of safe data handling across the organization.
5. Develop an Empowered Workforce
Having higher levels of cybersecurity awareness can help employees feel more empowered to do their jobs productively.
For example, a security awareness training program can teach employees how to recognize common phishing email scams and what steps to take when they receive one.
However, a lack of cybersecurity awareness training can leave employees feeling unsure of how they should react and afraid of making mistakes.
Employees may experience stress when handling sensitive information, causing them to miss work or eventually resign from their positions.
6. Stay Compliant
One of the critical benefits of cybersecurity training is that it helps businesses achieve the required levels of compliance for their industries.
Depending on the types of goods or services your business provides, you may be subject to different regulatory bodies that prescribe how data must be handled. Cybersecurity awareness training is important for continuing to meet and exceed these requirements.
As industry regulators update their requirements, businesses can rely on cybersecurity training services to help their employees stay up-to-date on the latest regulations and best practices.
7. Demonstrate ROI on Cybersecurity Spending
Finally, cyber awareness training is important because it helps demonstrate the value of investing in cybersecurity in general.
With adequate training, employees are less likely to make mistakes that lead to data breaches and cyber attacks, further making the case for the importance of a robust cybersecurity plan.
As cybersecurity becomes more ingrained in the company culture, managers, investors, and other stakeholders may become more willing to invest business capital into improved cybersecurity systems.
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Mitigate Security Threats With KDIT’s Cyber Awareness Training
Cyber awareness training is an important way to help your business prevent cyber attacks and remain resilient to ongoing security threats.
Other essential benefits of cybersecurity training include helping businesses reduce the financial impact of cyber threats by empowering employees with the knowledge of how to identify and mitigate risks.
To help build customer trust and establish your business as a reliable partner in handling sensitive data, you should invest in cyber awareness training for your team.
KDIT is a leading managed IT services provider that helps companies in Los Angeles and Orange County improve their cybersecurity awareness through engaging training content designed to educate employees on proper cybersecurity practices.
Improve your business’s cyber resilience with our training programs. Contact us today for more information.
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