“It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this.” is a memorable quote from the 1986 Nintendo action-adventure game The Legend of Zelda. The ‘Take This.”, refers to a sword that the main character Link could use to protect himself against the unknown dangers that awaited him. I often think about this quote and apply it to many things in my life. While I may not be doing battle with a sword, I know that I can’t venture through life alone and that I need the support of others to succeed. Cybersecurity is no exception.
I wouldn’t be able to defend a whole organization from cyber-attacks with just my actions alone. It takes a whole team, equipped with the right tools and skills, to act as the first line of defense against cyber threats.
Cyber criminals see you as an easy target. They prey on human error and bank on those who don’t possess proper cybersecurity training. According to an article by security researcher and ethical hacker Ramesh Ramachandran citing a State of IT Security Survey from 2019 “email security and employee training are the top challenges faced by information technology (IT) security professionals. Despite firewalls and other security software, employees are still the most common entry points for phishers.”
You are even more of an attractive target for cybercriminals since the pandemic has transitioned a large portion of the workforce from the office to working from home. Things can feel more familiar and safer at home, resulting in you letting your guard down. It is easy to become complacent in cyber threat detection, even with secured remote VPN access and other protective software measures in place, which opens you up to increased risk. Cybercriminals are well aware of this shift and are doing whatever they can to exploit the situation.
Now, let’s take a couple deep breaths, don’t panic! While dangerous hackers really do lurk around corners, you don’t have to go about protecting yourself and your organization alone. Cyber education and training can successfully help win the fight against malicious intent. A comprehensive cybersecurity awareness training program not only lowers the risk of security threats gripping your organization, it also frees up the IT department’s resources to focus on larger tasks by giving each employee the specialized knowledge they need to avoid cybersecurity breaches.
Arm yourselves with thorough Security Awareness Training. One amazing cyber training tool that our organization uses and that I’ve been actively engaged with for years is KnowB4, a simulated phishing platform. The training gives me the assurance that everyone at our cooperative is receiving the same level and quality of cyber education to effectively build our cyber defenses. It has given me the confidence of knowing that I’m not the only one striving to keep both our own and our customers private information safe.
If you don’t want to go about cybersecurity alone, connect with our knowledge CRI team and help keep your organization safe from cyberthreats.