What does Rocky Balboa have to do with security awareness training?

In the blockbuster brawler, Rocky IV, fictional Philadelphian boxer Rocky Balboa faces his greatest opponent yet: defeating his Soviet challenger, Ivan Drago. The epic battle is also a commentary on training style and tactics. Rocky relies on simple, yet creative training methods, ones with a human touch. Drago, in contrast, trains with the most advanced technology 1985 money can buy.

As this is Hollywood, it’s no wonder Rocky wins the big fight. But it’s important to remember why he wins. He wins because he and his trainers didn’t let technology alone dictate his success. Despite all the trappings of technological progress, the human element is key.

For small businesses, the same logic holds true for their own cybersecurity needs. While safeguards like secure data networks and email protection software are essential, proper human training is the first, best defense against a cyberattack and a surefire way to turn your team into sophisticated cyber crime fighters.

 

Turn Your Team Into Cyber Crime Fighters

Here’s what your training should include:

  • Help employees learn to identify phishing and social engineering attacks (when a nefarious human uses manipulation to cause an employee to make a security mistake that gives the perpetrator access.
  • Enact password training and reinforce cybersecurity best practices, including length, character variation (symbols, numbers, different cases), and the need for updates/unique use
  • Simulate practice attacks at the end of your training session and evaluate performance; consider adding these tests to your employee onboarding process.
  • Lead from the top down and create a culture of cybersecurity importance while recognizing that a data breach may still occur despite your best intentions. In those cases, it’s best to tread lightly if an employee is the cause of the exposure.

 

What’s Next For Your Security Awareness Training?

Sentribit has 30+ years of delivering this type of critical employee security awareness training, bringing a human touch to all that technological wizardry. Take the first step and start building – and training – your cybersecurity team. Only then can you ring the bell and join the fight.