Page 53 - Cyber Defense eMagazine - November 2017

3 STEPS TO CREATE A CULTURE OF CYBERSECURITY

by Mary-Michael Horowitz

It seems like every business is trying to improve its company culture. And that’s a good thing.
An effective culture is built on solid values and a core purpose. It gives employees the
opportunity to understand what makes the company tick – what its beliefs are, what its goals are
and how each person can help move the business forward.

In the same way, I encourage businesses to think about creating a culture of cybersecurity.
Ensuring your business, and its data, stay safe from the many cyber threats lurking in the ether
means constant education and discussion so that each team member understands how to
safeguard the business and demonstrates that day in and day out.

Here are three steps to create a culture of cybersecurity in your business:

1. Involve the entire company
Cybersecurity isn’t just an IT thing. It’s an everybody thing. So, take the time to teach
everyone in the company why cybersecurity matters. Train employees to know what to
look for, like how to spot a phishing email, and to whom suspicious activity should be
reported. Explain to the team the reality of cyber attacks. If employees understand the
consequences of their actions and the potentially devastating results, they’re probably
going to be more likely to buy into a culture of cybersecurity. We suggest companies
provide their teams with formal training at least annually, if not quarterly. These trainings
shouldn’t be stiff and dull. Make them fun and engaging with friendly competitions or
games, rewards and demonstrations.

2. Keep cybersecurity top of mind
Holding annual or quarterly cybersecurity training sessions is important in establishing a
culture of cybersecurity, but it’s not enough on its own. To truly build a strong culture,
security needs to be top-of-mind for employees. Things like posters hanging around the
office with brief security tips, handouts with reminders of things to look out for and
quarterly newsletters with more in-depth tips and takeaways from the latest hacks
making headlines all help make security part of the daily conversation.

3. Create a sense of responsibility
In addition to teaching your team how to prevent and spot cyber attacks, it’s equally
essential to ensure employees feel comfortable reporting their findings.

53 Cyber Defense eMagazine – November 2017 Edition
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