Security culture refers to the set of values, norms, and attitudes employed in the daily operations of a company for security performance. This component is essential for running a risk-resilient organization and mitigating internal and external threats. Such threats may also be cyber, physical, or financial.
Security culture also greatly differs from security protocols as it is designed to become effortless, instinctive, and unconscious. It aims to develop habits and behavior that allow any personnel member to spend less energy and time worrying about the threats or facing the consequences.
By practicing this in your organization or company, you promote a positive attitude and awareness for your employees in embracing security. Not sure how to set up a strong and effective security culture? Check out the tips listed here.
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Walk the talk
If you expect your staff members to abide by the culture you’re trying to employ in the workspace, you need to put your words into action. Start with yourself. Business owners or executives should personally do their part in keeping their cybersecurity in tacked.
And just as you prioritize protecting your company’s premises with advanced alarm systems, don’t forget to heighten your IT security measures as well. Add extra layers of defense against hackers, and set high-level passwords and dual authentication for your online meetings and data warehouses. Be sure that every individual in the executive team is interested in actively improving and regulating cybersecurity.
Besides the executives, make sure that your middle managers are also doing their part. These individuals have a much closer communication and interaction with the employees, so they need to act following your business’s security policies. Additionally, make sure they have the initiative to exercise proper workflows if they pose risks to the company. Remember, management dedicated to developing a strong culture of security is more likely to easily influence everyone in the company.
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Provide consistent awareness training
Admit it; most organizations nowadays only have their eyes installing advanced alarm systems or CCTVs on their premises to avoid intruders from entering or accessing their systems. However, to make such protocol more efficient, you’ll also need to train your staff in handling other security strategies such as cybersecurity. In fact, it is said that insufficient staff training is among the biggest challenges in executing an effective cyber risk strategy. Luckily, there are various types of training and ways to do so.
For instance, you can have role-playing games to promote security-focused behavior and attitudes in your employees. You can set up security-related cases that your staff needs to solve in alignment with your current policies. Try to concentrate on the top risks your organization has when writing scenarios for the games, like improper distribution of data or ransomware.
Also, make sure that the content is tailored to the staff’s level of responsibility, department, data access, prior knowledge, and tech tools they’re using. As for the frequency of employee training, consider their learning curve and needs. Usually, businesses require their staff members to refresh their knowledge regarding security every three to six months.
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Establish a positive working environment
Cybersecurity is often seen as a set of strict rules or restrictions that should be implemented. There are sites that even the security team can’t access or programs that are off-limits. But rather than creating a closed security environment, make sure all your trusted employees can access your security department and are informed at all times.
Security awareness will be promoted more easily if you’ll change your approach and education within the organization. Make your people comfortable and confident with information security so that they can better understand its importance or value. Look at it this way. If a culture is more relatable to a person, they are more likely to understand the language you want them to learn.
Be sure that your employees are not afraid to request demonstrations or ask questions regarding your security culture. It is also essential that they are comfortable in situations where they made honest mistakes. This way, you can expect your staff to be more motivated to participate.
Indeed, creating and maintaining a culture of security takes a lot of time and effort, especially if we’re talking about a big organization. Despite this, the hard work will surely pay off as you reduce the risks of a wide range of threats in your organization. At the same time, you also get to reap the benefits of having strong risk management policies, user security awareness training, and long-lived security teams. Take note of the above-mentioned tips and establish an effective security culture!