5 ways to strengthen your team’s cyber security knowledge in Aberdeen

From attacks on the US government to hackers targeting French health insurance companies, cyber security knows no boundaries and is an issue that many organisations face locally in Aberdeen. For example, in 2020 both the University of Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University were targeted by multiple cyber attacks after their software supplier Blackbaud was hacked.

As a leader, manager or business owner, it is crucial that you are continuously working to ensure that your team is fully informed and committed to protecting your organisation against cyber security threats and attacks.

In this blog post, we’ve shared some of our tips and advice on simple ways you can enhance your team's cyber security knowledge and strengthen your company’s resilience against cyber attacks…

1. Take part in phishing quizzes and the share the results with the team

Can your team spot when they are being phished? For many, identifying a phishing attack can be a lot harder than you think and is an issue that is now more prevalent than ever.

With fraudulent emails being sent out daily, it’s important to ensure that your team is well equipped with the right tools and knowledge to deal with any phishing attacks. It’s often difficult to differentiate between what is fake and what is real when it comes to the information presented online.

We have created a quick and simple phishing quiz that can be shared with your team. Once carried out we would recommend coming together to share the results of the quiz. Comparing and discussing the results of the quiz gives your staff the opportunity to voice their opinions, concerns or questions surrounding phishing.

2. Implement continuous cyber security awareness training

To help strengthen your team's knowledge of cyber security, it’s worth investing in security awareness training. This will help to build your team’s knowledge and understanding of cyber attacks, helping to protect themselves and the organisation from cyber criminals.

95% of cyber security breaches are caused by human error, highlighting that human error is one of the leading causes of cyber security incidents. Not only can cyber security attacks have a detrimental impact on your business's finances, but they can also have a negative impact on the reputation of your business.

At IT Hotdesk, we offer engaging security awareness training courses across Aberdeen city and shire which focus on real-life scenarios, helping to empower your employees by providing them with actionable tips and guidance, and all the information they need to feel confident and informed about cyber security.

3. Have clear guidelines and procedures on cyber security

There is no point in having policies, guidelines or procedures if they are not clearly shared and explained with your team. This especially applies in terms of cyber security, as the policies shared throughout your company will underpin the way in which your company deals with or reacts to cyber security attacks.

Whether it's on your intranet, in staff handbooks, in new staff onboarding documents or even on notice boards, you should always make sure that your organisation's guidelines and procedures regarding cyber security are made clear and visible to all staff. This can encourage employees to take preventative action by identifying early warning signs of cyber attacks.

An effective policy or guideline management system involves always looking to update your policy following legislative changes and ensuring this is well communicated with staff. If you’re not sure where to start, or would like an independent review of your policy and guidelines, our team of cyber security specialists in Aberdeen can help.

4. Tie cyber security training into the staff onboarding process

If cyber security is currently not part of your onboarding process, then now would be a good time to start thinking of ways to incorporate it throughout. From multi-factor authentication to phishing attacks, there are plenty of cyber security areas to be covered during the onboarding process.

Explaining your organisation’s expectations and guidelines surrounding cyber security from the get-go sets the foundation for the relationship created between your employee and cyber security awareness. You want to create an open and honest environment, where your team feels comfortable and confident about reporting any unusual incidents.

If you’re looking for some guidance around how to do this, we can share examples and best practice for you to follow.

5. Ensure management is leading by example

To emphasise the importance of cyber security, you need to make sure that everyone in the organisation is on board, from the top-down. Leaders, senior management or influential employees should be frequently promoting and discussing cyber security to demonstrate the weight and importance that the subject holds.

If your organisation's senior management is showing their interest and proactiveness towards the topic, then it will help to spark the interest of the rest of the team - encouraging employees to expand their knowledge of the subject.

If you are interested in our security awareness training or suite of cyber security services in Aberdeen, and would like more information, please get in touch with the IT Hotdesk team by completing the form below. We will then be in touch as soon as possible to provide you with more details, as well as organise a free one-to-one cyber security consultation.