Here's how you can ensure all employees understand the importance of cybersecurity practices.

Contineous education is key to showcase the importance of cyber security. Regular campaigns for employees to attend and convey the messages like how to act/respond in specific scenarios (if faced) like suspicious email with an attachment/link, unknown user asking for confidential information over email / call etc etc. In such cases what to do and how to report back. These real world scenarios can be conveyed via workshops, training or engaging campaigns like pop-up messages on employees workstation. In addition, achievements of cyber security teams with regards to the organization's defense should be shared with employees in internal reports, portal or simply sharing official email (as an information to all).

Cybersecurity education should be ongoing due to the rapid evolution of threats. Regular training sessions are essential to keep employees informed about current cybersecurity risks and effective defense strategies. Use real-life examples to illustrate how breaches can impact both the company and individual employees. Simplify complex terms such as phishing, ransomware, and two-factor authentication to ensure understanding. Encourage questions and discussions during sessions to ensure that employees not only hear but also comprehend and retain the information.

A helpful strategy would be conducting “phishing” training events. Create scenario emails and send them out to your staff. Educate them in advance that you will be using these emails as a tool to educate them. Real phishing emails and calls are becoming very sophisticated, practicing scenarios is great way to prepare your team and minimize risk. Research products that can help you conduct these training events.

When creating policies, write for your audience. Most policies will be relevant to all employees, not just technology staff. Ensuring a clear message, in understandable terms and examples.

Creating robust cybersecurity policies is essential for educating employees effectively. These policies should clearly define the acceptable use of company systems, mandatory security measures for devices, and protocols for reporting suspected security incidents. When presenting these policies, it's crucial to articulate the reasoning behind each rule, demonstrating that they are essential safeguards rather than arbitrary restrictions. By understanding the rationale behind these policies, employees are more likely to embrace and adhere to them, thereby enhancing overall cybersecurity posture and resilience within the organization.

Conducting simulated threat exercises, such as phishing attacks or social engineering simulations, is a highly effective method for ingraining cybersecurity best practices. These hands-on experiences provide employees with a tangible understanding of the threats they may encounter. Following each simulation, debriefing sessions are crucial to discuss lessons learned and reinforce proper response strategies. This active learning approach significantly enhances employees' ability to identify and mitigate real-world cyber threats, thereby strengthening the organization's overall security posture.

Conducting simulated threat exercises, such as phishing attacks or social engineering simulations, is a highly effective method for ingraining cybersecurity best practices. These hands-on experiences provide employees with a practical understanding of the actual threats they may face. Following each simulation, debriefing sessions are crucial to discuss insights gained and reinforce appropriate response strategies. This active learning approach significantly enhances employees' ability to recognize and mitigate real-world cyber threats, thereby bolstering the organization's overall security posture.

Rewarding compliance with cybersecurity practices can be highly effective in fostering a secure workplace culture. Recognizing and rewarding employees who exhibit outstanding security awareness or contribute to preventing security incidents is crucial. This can be achieved through public acknowledgment in company meetings, small tokens of appreciation, or other forms of recognition. Rewards not only motivate the individual recipients but also establish a clear standard for other employees to aspire to, reinforcing the importance of cybersecurity throughout the organization.

Many security events occur due to access issues, non patched hardware/software, and technology that is deployed quickly without rigorous testing. Cyber risk can be found across “the stack” network, hardware, software, OS, etc. Be thorough cyber security is all of our jobs.