Good news: (1) Most Australian businesses are increasing their cyber security budget in 2024. (2) Among their funding priorities is ongoing security training. (source: Australian insights on cybersecurity)
Why is cyber awareness critical to your business? Because most risks involve human errors in cyber security. But when your employees know exactly how to identify and deal with threats, they can prevent attacks to your business. Is that happening in your business?
Is your training investment paying off? You need to look at metrics or key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure training effectiveness, identify gaps, and make improvements.
Align Your Training Goals with Your Overall Security Goals
To ensure a cohesive and effective defence strategy, organisations must integrate training goals with overarching security objectives. For instance, CyberShield offers comprehensive cyber security training that aligns with broader security frameworks’ best practices. This enhances individual awareness and skills, strengthens an organisation’s overall security posture, and makes it more cyber resilient.
Understand the KPIs for Cyber Security Training
Is your cyber training budget working for you? The best way to find out is by using relevant metrics.
One key KPI is the phishing click-through rate, which is simply the percentage of employees who fall for simulated phishing attacks. You want a lower rate, which means better awareness and caution among staff.
Another important KPI is the increased knowledge of security best practices. This is often measured through test results on training platforms. Aim for higher scores, which reflect a deeper understanding of essential security protocols and procedures.
Additionally, incident response times show how quickly your team can react to security breaches. Faster response times can significantly mitigate the impact of cyber incidents.
Lastly, the reduced number of security incidents is a direct indicator of the overall effectiveness of your cyber security training. Fewer incidents suggest that employees are applying their training effectively to prevent breaches.
Be Creative and Use Different Training Techniques
To keep employees engaged and ensure the training material is effectively absorbed, you can utilise different training techniques. Incorporate videos, quizzes, and interactive sessions to make the learning process more dynamic and enjoyable.
Videos provide visual and auditory learning experiences, making complex concepts easier to grasp. Quizzes can reinforce knowledge, provide immediate feedback, and improve information retention.
Using a variety of training methods helps you cater to different learning styles and keeps the training sessions from becoming monotonous. Engaging employees through diverse techniques can also bring out a more proactive attitude towards cyber security.
You can also gamify your training, use music or songs, and offer training incentives. You can find more ideas in our article Cyber Security Training: Making It Fun & Effective for Your Team.
Use Phishing Simulations to Assess Training Needs
These simulations involve sending fake phishing emails to employees to see how they respond. By tracking the click-through rate on these simulated emails, you can gauge how many employees are susceptible to phishing attacks. This can help you identify which staff or departments need additional training and support.
Phishing simulations also measure how quickly employees report suspicious emails. This can give you insights into your overall readiness to handle real phishing threats. Regularly conducting these simulations can improve employees’ ability to recognise and respond to phishing attempts, ultimately reducing cyber-attacks’ chances of success.
Some simulation platforms feature automated phishing simulations, a template library for various phishing scenarios, and custom spear-phishing campaign options, all designed to enhance phishing resilience and monitor human risk effectively.
Conduct Post-Training Assessments to Elevate Effectiveness
This is vital for determining how well employees have understood and retained the information from training sessions. By evaluating test results and practical exercises, you can identify areas where employees excel and where additional training may be needed.
This feedback loop ensures training effectiveness and continuous improvement. Regular post-training assessments also reinforce the importance of cyber security, keeping it top of mind for employees.
Monitor User Activity via Training Tools
There are training tools that can track login frequency, time spent on training modules, and quiz performance. You can analyse such data to assess how engaged your employees are with the training material. You could also identify patterns that may indicate areas of weakness or strength.
Some training tools also offer personalised programs for individual needs, which can help you tailor the training content to suit individual employees. This can include additional resources for those who need more support or advanced modules for those who excel.
Keep Evolving to Keep Improving Your Training
Regular reviews of your training program and content updates can help you address emerging threats and evolving best practices. This way your employees are always equipped with the latest cyber security knowledge and skills. They also promote a culture of continuous learning and vigilance.
Get the Best Returns from Your Cyber Security Training Budget
KPIs are not just numbers, but indicators of whether your cyber security training is working well. Based on the results of your training program, you can adjust your strategy to make them more effective.
Like cyber security services in Brisbane, Townsville, or elsewhere in Australia, training should lead to stronger protection for your business. Measure your current human risk factor with our FREE human risk assessment, and receive a comprehensive report with some actionable tips!
