In recent times, everything is digitalized that has been bliss for us. Digitalization has become a vital part of today’s world. It helped in improving the quality, consistency and efficiency in different processes, gradually replacing the conventional methods of doing stuff. It integrates everything together eliminating the fear of data loss. It proves the information exchange, shortening the communication gap.

Creative digital solution is what gives competitive edge to organizations. Companies that have adapted digitalization are far better than other when it comes to quality, efficiency, data safety and operational costs. These companies have more clients than the ones not being digitalized. But with power and advantages come responsibilities and disadvantages. There are threats as well in being digitalized. Data being available online is always at risk. These risks are called cyber security threats. These are the real threats which can be in the form of identity theft, credit card credentials theft, personal data theft and many more. 

What is Cyber Security?

Cyber security is a combination of two words cyber and security. Cyber refers to any kind of process that takes place over internet. It could be storing data, sending mail or anything else. Security refers to securing that process we’re doing. This world being digitalized, it has worked in our favor as it has evolved our way of doing stuff and made it faster but, there has been a threat to all our data after this.

What is Cyber Security Awareness?

There is always a threat to our data as things can go wrong anytime. Data has become vulnerable as any hacker, after making some efforts can breach in and steal your data. To prevent our data from any kind of intruding, we need to be aware of cyber security. They say, no safe is unbreakable but there are ways to prevent it by knowing how to take care of our own data online. It is actually a practice of defending computers, clouds, mobile devices and networks from attacks. We can also call it data security.

Why is Cyber Security Awareness Important?

Every organization in the world having employees is always at a risk of cyber attack. Cyber security should be a priority for any of those organizations. Almost every other cyber attackis due to a human mistake. Cyber security training awareness is very important because if we want to keep ourselves safe from something, we need to know that thing thoroughly. Getting aware about cyber security and its training is the only way out for us. There are uncountable cases available to take a lesson from. But still these things are taking places due to lack of awareness.

Cyber threats for organizations and employees are discussed below.

Types of Attacks

Security awareness trainings should include thorough details about today’s and tomorrow’s most likely to happen attacks. This will prepare employees to identify it and avoid it. Some of those attacks are:

• Phishing

If we talk about attacks, phishing is the one that enters our mind. Every other organization that has employees and servers do face this attack. This attacks aim for just a click from employees on a link that downloads unwanted materials and protocols in your system. It then establishes a direct connection to cybercriminals. They breach into your networks and steal private information. It can also be an email, claiming to be your colleague or a third party vendor and you would reply to that mail thinking you are actually replying to a business colleague.

• Malware Email Attacks

It is another common attack which is done through emails. In this attack you receive an email with infected attachment. It only needs one click from you. It downloads attachment in the system and damages the system to the extent from where the damage is out of control. It destroys anything it attacks on.

• File-less Attacks

It is one of the complex attacks in which there is no need for any kind of file or email. This attack is done by making your existing software a bridge. Software that is old and not up to date are likely to be the helping hand in these attacks. Hackers get in using the easy to crack security of that software and steal useful information.

• Employee Errors

The most common reason for a cyber attack is human error. You have employees, if theyare not aware of every possible attack that can happen; they are likely to make a mistake which will lead to an attack. It can be data disclosures, unintended obviously but very harmful to the organization.

Awareness Tactics to Use

Keeping the systems and servers up to date is no doubt an important practice to get away from threats. Keeping your employees up to date with tactics to use against these attacks is important as well. In fact, later is more effective than the former. There should be monthly sessions for employees on this particular topic. There isinformation security awareness course available that helps a lot and you can provide this to your employees. Some of the tactics which can be used are defined below.

• There should be a culture of cyber security in the organization. Senior members of the organizations should lead the way. This is what motivates employees and they follow the culture.
• From the very first day, a mindset should be set where everyone has in mind that cyber security is a priority.
• Demonstrate employees about the god cyber security practice and reward them for doing it rightly.
• Passwords should be firm strong. You should get rid of all weak passwords.
• Stop using publicly available networks. As they are available without any security, they are easily breakable.
• There are multiple certifications like CCNA cyber ops certification CCNA security certification available for cyber security along wth OWASP Threats Fundamentals Training and other best cyber security hands on training. These certifications and training can be used to make an environment of cyber security in an organization.

Importance of Cyber security awareness can be identified by looking at everything discussed here