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Information Security Awareness Program Proposal: Best Practices and Lessons Learned from Leading Org



Higher awareness of cybersecurity and processes can raise the level of security and slow the spread of cyber threats significantly. As controls get better, criminals are increasingly relying on targeting people to make their way into systems and networks.




Information Security Awareness Program Proposal




Yes, remind staff of important security policies. But also inform them about new and emerging information security risks, such as internet of things (IoT) attacks, or how phishing and ransomware are evolving. Share new techniques to help them online in their personal and professional lives.


When planning an awareness campaign programme, we need to acknowledge that one size will not fit all. Computer-based training may be effective for certain employees, but not everyone. Newsletters will be read by some but skimmed over or binned by other staff.


Gamification offers a way of making information security awareness exciting, but more importantly, memorable. Think of the current craze for escape rooms. Teams work cooperatively to discover clues, solve puzzles and accomplish tasks in a limited amount of time. Using the escape room model lets you create an awareness campaign your teams are going to remember long after your session ends.


Good communication is always essential to influence any kind of behaviour. Everyone needs a shared understanding of the importance of information security and the need to actively contribute. Build a culture of shared ownership of information security rather than blame and fear of making mistakes. All employees throughout the business must be aware of their responsibilities and the need to develop a risk-based approach, focusing effort where it is most needed and will have the most impact.


The importance of security awareness programs is beyond question, but what makes a security awareness program successful? Presumably, this question may have as many answers as there are stars in the sky, and this article suggests several elements of such a program that have come into prominence over the years. Their origins are rooted in best practices, which is always a good indication of quality achieved through trial and error.


Drafters of a security awareness program need to be familiar with the latest security training requirements. By way of illustration, the PCI DSS v3.2 (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards) became mandatory, not best practices, on February 1, 2018.


It is to be noted that even though security awareness is often mandatory by law, it remains a core responsibility of top technology leaders, such as CISOs and HR managers, and they are accountable for its effectiveness.


To obtain maximum support, the implementation of the security awareness program should be facilitated by key departments (human resource, legal, marketing, physical security, etc.), other than the IT one. For example, the legal department will ensure that the program is in accord with compliance requirements. Additional support in the form of funding and distribution is always welcome, as it will fortify the foundations laid by the upper management.


A good program should both make regular references to the latest cyberattacks to demonstrate its importance and educate everyone on latest cybersecurity trends. Awareness programs that focus on providing staffers with cybersecurity information promptly could successfully repel cyber-attacks, as evident by the attempted Syrian Electronic Army hacking against IDG Enterprises.


In general, security awareness should be carried out in person. Choose the best time for training carefully (usually during slow days or downtime). Make sure that users are actively engaged in all aspects of what they are learning.


When your people demonstrate due diligence concerning the application of the security awareness program, your normal response would be to show them somehow that they are on the right track. Sometimes a pat on the back would be enough, but sometimes it would not be.


The optimum goal of a security awareness program is not only to improve practical implementation of best security practices but also broaden understanding of newest security threats and how to counteract them.


The security awareness program ensures that every person in the organization possesses a minimum level of know-how concerning security matters, which is also usually accompanied by an appropriate sense of responsibility.


Today, users are frequently exposed to sophisticated phishing and social engineering attacks. Old-school awareness training doesn't hack it anymore. WSIPC is releasing RFP 21-04 to establish relationships with one or more vendors that provide responsible and lowest-possible cost for security awareness training solutions in accordance with the specifications contained in this RFP.RFP 21-04 Bid Documents


The CISA Cybersecurity Awareness Program is a national public awareness effort aimed at increasing the understanding of cyber threats and empowering the American public to be safer and more secure online. Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. We each have to do our part to keep the Internet safe. When we all take simple steps to be safer online, it makes using the Internet a more secure experience for everyone.


Security awareness training is a strategy used by IT and security professionals to prevent and mitigate user risk. These programs are designed to help users and employees understand the role they play in helping to combat information security breaches. Effective security awareness training helps employees understand proper cyber hygiene, the security risks associated with their actions and to identify cyber attacks they may encounter via email and the web.


Research suggests that human error is involved in more than 90% of security breaches. Security awareness training helps to minimize risk thus preventing the loss of PII, IP, money or brand reputation. An effective awareness training program addresses the cybersecurity mistakes that employees may make when using email, the web and in the physical world such as tailgating or improper document disposal.


Mimecast Awareness Training regularly releases new training modules to keep content fresh for your users and reflect emerging security threats your organization faces. In addition to 12 to 15 annual training modules focused on information security topics, Mimecast releases monthly shorter trainings based on trending cyberattacks or season scams and specialty topics covering new data privacy regulations.


The time required to build an IT awareness security program depends on the technology and methodology you choose. As an online platform, Mimecast Awareness Training can be deployed and configured quickly, rolling out awareness training to a global workforce easily.


The cost of an effective security awareness training program will vary depending on the size of your organization. Both small to mid-sized businesses and global enterprise organizations can implement Mimecast Awareness Training for a fraction of what a successful cyber breach costs a company in revenue losses. For added layers of security and additional cost savings, Mimecast Awareness Training can be bundled into a number of comprehensive cybersecurity plans.


On September 16, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a first-of-its-kind cybersecurity grant program specifically for state, local, and territorial (SLT) governments across the country.


The Cybersecurity Planning Committee will identify and prioritize state-wide efforts, to include identifying opportunities to consolidate projects to increase efficiencies. Each eligible entity is required to submit confirmation that the committee is comprised of the required representatives. The eligible entity must also confirm that at least one-half of the representatives of the committee have professional experience relating to cybersecurity or information technology. For more information on the composition of the Cybersecurity Planning Committee, including how to leverage existing planning committees, please refer to Appendix B of the Notice of Funding Opportunity.


Not less than half of the representatives of the Cybersecurity Planning Committee must have professional experience relating to cybersecurity or information technology. Qualifications are determined by the states.


This contract is to provide a SaaS platform for Security Awareness and Training, along with the associated content. The content must provide relevant and useful information through engaging web-based training courses to aid employees in becoming more resistant to cyber-attacks. Training modules should provide a mechanism to assess the effectiveness of the program through interactive assessments. Additionally, the platform must support simulated phishing campaigns to further test users in real-world scenarios.


Cybersecurity professionals might have heard the following phrase in recent years: "If cybersecurity awareness training was going to work, it would have worked already." Usually, this saying is to disparage cybersecurity awareness training as an ineffective, pointless waste of time and money.


But what is cybersecurity training, exactly? It is formal and informal education about information technology risks. It is formal in that people are required to take specific training sessions. It is also informal because in addition to these mandatory training sessions, there is a continuous emphasis on cybersecurity at senior staff meetings, through the employee review process and via frequent reminders about the daily responsibilities that come with cybersecurity vigilance.


With a risk reduction approach, cybersecurity awareness training becomes a clear supporting element of cybersecurity goals by reducing, if not eliminating, the uncertainty around why cybersecurity awareness training is being done. This approach also provides justification for required training expenditures.


Choosing cybersecurity risk reduction goals that are inherently measurable makes it easy to see the impact that cybersecurity awareness training has on achieving important business goals. Knowing the number of malicious email links that users have clicked on over a 90-day period before and after training on email security clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of the employee training. Additionally, knowing the cost associated with users clicking on malicious email links before and after that same training clearly demonstrates its ROI. 2ff7e9595c


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