Often, humans are the weakest link when it comes to cybersecurity.
You can have the best firewalls, store all your data in the most secure clouds, invest in in real-time vulnerability tracking, and have the world’s best pentesters at your service. But if your team cannot spot a phishing attack, or leaves their devices unsecured, your organization is still at risk. Similarly, if your developers are leaving the security team out of development lifecycles (or only inviting their inputs when it’s too late or only for the purpose check boxing) you and your customers are at risk.
That’s where employee security awareness comes in. For the most part, people may not understand the far-reaching implications of their actions (or non-action, like not setting up 2FA). They don’t know, and therefore cannot grasp, how a simple action on their part can set off a series of events that opens themselves, the organization, and its customers up to cybersecurity risk. They also may not understand what those risks are. Most of all, they don’t understand how they play an important part in your organization’s security.
In this blog, we discuss how you can build a security-first culture by developing cybersecurity awareness and understanding beyond just the IT team.
5 Key Moves in Promoting a Security Culture
1. Regular cybersecurity training programs
Cybersecurity training programs should be an ongoing effort, held every quarter to keep employees engaged and informed. It’s essential that these training sessions clearly define every individual’s role in maintaining cybersecurity awareness. Utilize different formats like role plays, simulations, and gamified learning to keep things engaging. Mixing online and in-person options allows for flexibility. To ensure true engagement, work with smaller groups.
2. C-suite Involvement
A security-first culture requires not just a bottom-up but also a top-down approach. Ensuring that leadership is directly involved in your cybersecurity training programs creates accountability at the highest levels. Conversations with the C-suite should include making cybersecurity mandatory within SOPs. An example of this approach is ensuring no development lifecycles progress without a cybersecurity sign-off: nothing should move from staging to production without approval from your cybersecurity team, reducing the risk of vulnerabilities being deployed in critical environments (source needed).
3. Tools That Insert Cybersecurity into Business as Usual
Investing in tools that keep cybersecurity awareness top of mind for your team helps make it part of your daily operations. For example, vulnerability assessments and pentesting through platforms like Siemba provide actionable insights into your security gaps. Dashboards can offer visibility into the areas where your team is falling short, ensuring there’s always a feedback loop for improvement. Some tools can also automate some aspects of security, like ensuring ongoing compliance with frameworks or vulnerability scanning.
4. Compliance Programs
Compliance frameworks are an excellent way to ensure that your security protocols are up to standard, especially if you’re working with larger clients or entering new markets. Compliance programs provide a baseline that strengthens your organization’s cybersecurity awareness while aligning with regulatory requirements. These frameworks—such as ISO 27001 or SOC 2—are especially useful if you’re just beginning to develop your security-first culture or need to harden your security posture.
5. Tests and Reminders
You can also test employee awareness with post-training tests, and other types of tests, like phishing simulations. The idea is that since you can’t stop phishing emails from arriving in your inbox, the next best move is to teach your team how to recognize them.
Phishing simulations mimic real-world phishing campaigns. Pentesters deploy these simulations to see how employees respond. This can reveal which individuals or departments are more vulnerable, allowing you to tailor future cybersecurity training programs accordingly. Studies show that phishing tests, followed by targeted education, significantly reduce the number of employees who fall for such attacks. Pentesting companies like Siemba can handle phishing simulations for your team.
Another helpful move can be reminders. Emailers with cybersecurity tips and checklists can go a long way in keeping training points top of mind.
Takeaway
Don’t let your investment in firewalls, vulnerability assessments, and other defensive measures go to waste by neglecting the importance of cybersecurity awareness. Building a security-first culture is a shared responsibility that extends beyond the IT department to every employee in your organization. Make the time, invest in ongoing education, and secure buy-in from leadership to ensure that your team understands their critical role in protecting your business. Protect your organization from cyber threats by integrating cybersecurity awareness into your daily operations. Get started with Pentesting As A Service (PTaaS)—including phishing simulations—and vulnerability assessment tools to stay ahead of risks.
