Employees need to adjust their mindsets in order to defend themselves against social engineering attacks, according to Jonathon Watson at Clio. In an article for Dark Reading, Watson explains that security training should emphasize that employees should build habits to follow security practices in their personal and professional lives.
“In addition to mandatory and routine training and security tools, the best way to ensure employees are vigilant about potential risks is to help them reframe their online mindset while encouraging them to leverage critical thinking in evaluating and defending against internal and external threats,” Watson says. “Helping employees develop a healthier understanding of what's at stake when they engage online — and the value of the information they interact with once there — can strengthen digital habits and build more mindful, proactive thinking when faced with a threat or even before one occurs.”
Organizations should also have a process for their employees to report suspicious activity.
“When people realize the value of their data, they're more vigilant and protective of it,” Watson says. “But your employees should also feel encouraged to proactively ask questions about risks and formulate better ways to protect themselves. For example, your teams should have access to and familiarity with a standardized communication plan for when they receive phishing texts or emails.”
This type of training can give your organization an essential layer of defense by giving your employees a healthy sense of suspicion.
“When employees understand how their day-to-day behaviors — no matter how small — can expose sensitive data, they're less likely to introduce risk in the first place,” Watson writes. “While you strive to train employees on how to protect data in every scenario, building a habit of vigilance reduces the amount of reactive problem-solving required in the first place. Improving your employees' fundamental understanding and respect for the value of data shields your organization from digital threats. But without reinforcing this understanding through ongoing mindset shifts, the status quo and security theater of repetitive privacy notifications will make employees feel more complacent.”
New-school security awareness training can enable your employees to follow security best practices so they can thwart social engineering attacks.
Dark Reading has the story.
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