Top 10 Security Awareness Training Challenges and Solutions
Top 10 Security Awareness Training Challenges and Solutions
Learn the awareness training challenges you face and how to solve them.
Breach numbers grew 41% in 2022 from 2021 with over 422 million impact victims. With breach statistics climbing every year, Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and Businesses alike are asking “How do we protect ourselves and our clients?“. To answer that, you need to find the source of the problem. Multiple studies have blamed human error for between 82% and 95% of all breaches. In this article we discuss the Top 10 security awareness training challenges and solutions.
Even though much data has revealed that humans are the weakest link in the cybersecurity breach, it need not be the case. Cybersecurity data breaches caused by humans can be circumvented with the right amount of training and a security-focused culture. - The Role of Human Error in Cybersecurity Breaches
Security Awareness Training (SAT) is more important today than ever before. Businesses will lose over 10 Trillion dollars annually from cybersecurity incidents by 2025. This article explains the top 10 challenges and solutions to conducting user awareness training and testing. These challenges will focus on four (4) challenge areas: Users, Company, Administration, and Phish Testing. We start with Users.
Training Users can be challenging.
User Training Challenges and Solutions
Training users over time can lead to boredom, low compliance, and increased human errors. Address boredom by mixing up your awareness training with content from multiple sources. Keep content short and focused on single topics; attention spans run short. Remove barriers to accessing training and select a passwordless training solution. Lastly, try not to trick and punish users if they fail; find solutions that engage and enlighten users. Doing so improves user education and knowledge while reducing stress and anxiety.
Companies Challenges and Solutions
Companies have finite time and money to spend on user education. Solutions need to be automated. Automatic delivery of training assignments and tests, as well as automated reminders and escalations to management for non-compliance. Engage all levels of management in seeking high compliance. Use cybersecurity governance policies where technology cannot control behaviors. Users learn and follow best practice requirements via governance policies such Acceptable Use, Password, and Information Handling. Finally, track, share, and continuously improve metrics for policies, phish testing, and training compliance.
Cybersecurity Program Metrics
Administration Challenges and Solutions
SAT admins often face too many choices making setup difficult and time consuming. When your doctor says you need medication for an ailment, do they ask you to pick your medication? Too many solutions take hard to learn, review, and program correctly. Find automated solutions that prescribe a balanced awareness training program eliminating manual effort you don’t have time for, or might get wrong.
MSPs can sometimes struggle with manual invoicing caused by SAT solutions. Consider flat-rate awareness training to simplify monthly billing, reducing errors and saving time.
Phish Testing Challenges and Solutions
Traditional attack-based phishing requires time for SMBs/MSPs to bypass security filters to deliver test emails to inboxes. They suffer from high false negative rates – assuming users who did not click saw the attack email and deleted it. They provide poor metrics for leadership – 4-10% failed the test but 90 – 96% did what? Punishing users with devious or deceitful embedded phishing attacks can lead to anger, negative consequences (Zurich Study), and harm. Therefore, choose phishing tests that educate and empower users to spot and avoid these attacks. Seek solutions that measure and report on success not failure and you’ll have the most powerful outcome.
Top 10 Training/Testing Challenges:
Boredom
Difficult Access
Time
Low Compliance
Poor Metrics
Lack of Automation
Punishing Tests
Lack of Guidance
Manual Invoicing/Costs
Difficult Setup
Top 10 Training/Testing Solutions:
Multi-Video Sources
Passwordless Access
Limit Assignments to 5 min
Automate Escalations
Score Policy, Video, & Tests
Automate Admin Programs
Use Positive Outcomes
Include Governance Policies
Flat-Rate Solution
Automatic Programming
CyberHoot Eliminates this Friction:
Open Platform (limitless)
Passwordless Assignments
Short videos/policies/tests
High Compliance
Dashboard Metrics
100% Automated Offerings
Positive Phish Test Outcomes
Governance Policies Incl’d
Flat-Rate billing Options
Autopilot Programs
Conclusion: Top 10 Awareness Training Challenges and Solutions
As the world becomes more complex and attack-riddled, SMBs and MSPs need to address the weakest link in their cybersecurity programs. Human errors are responsible for the preponderance of breaches. With the right training and a positive, non-punitive testing program you can change your culture and improve your cybersecurity resilience. This article discussed the Top 10 security awareness training challenges and solutions so you can choose wisely and reduce or eliminates issues with your SAT program.
Secure your business with CyberHoot Today!!!