5 Ways to Determine If Your Company’s Cybersecurity Awareness Training Is Effective

In this digital age, cyber threats are a real and growing concern for businesses of all sizes. That’s why it’s so important to ensure your company has an effective cybersecurity awareness training program in place. But how do you know if the training is actually working? Here we explore five key ways to determine whether or not your company’s cybersecurity awareness training is effective.

From measuring employee engagement levels to evaluating policy compliance, these strategies will help you get a better understanding of the effectiveness of your organization’s security awareness efforts.

1. Measure Employee Engagement Levels:

One of the first signs that your company’s cybersecurity awareness training is effective is to measure employee engagement levels. You can do this by surveying employees to assess their understanding of the material presented in each training session, as well as what they think of its relevance and value. 

Additionally, you should also ask questions about how confident they feel about applying the concepts they’ve learned in their day-to-day work.

2. Track Website Traffic:

Another way to get an indication of the effectiveness of your organization’s security awareness training is by tracking website traffic. Analyzing pre and post-training data can provide insights into how employees are engaging with security topics, such as browsing secure sites and avoiding potentially dangerous links.

3. Evaluate Policy Compliance:

It’s also important to evaluate policy compliance as part of your security awareness efforts. Setting and enforcing policies are essential components of any successful cybersecurity program, so ensuring that employees understand these policies is key. 

You should closely monitor and audit employee activities to ensure they comply with security policies. If you find that employees are not following the policies, you should consider re-evaluating your training program.

4. Assess Security Practices:

Beyond policy compliance, it’s also important to assess how well employees are applying security practices in their everyday work. Ask questions like “are they using strong passwords?” or “are they logging out of sessions when they’re done?” This information can help you identify any gaps in understanding and determine whether additional training sessions are needed.

5. Analyze Phishing Attempts:

Finally, analyzing phishing attempts is a great way to evaluate the effectiveness of your security awareness training program. Monitor incoming emails for suspicious links or attachments that could potentially be malicious.

Use a tool like PhishMe that can help you identify and track suspicious emails, as well as provide detailed reports on employee responses. This information can help you gauge the effectiveness of anti-phishing training sessions and make any necessary adjustments to your program.

In conclusion, it’s essential for companies to have an effective cybersecurity awareness training program in place. By measuring employee engagement levels, tracking website traffic, evaluating policy compliance, assessing security practices, and analyzing phishing attempts you can get a better understanding of the effectiveness of your organization’s security awareness efforts.

These strategies will help ensure that employees are aware of potential cyber threats and know how to protect their company from them. 

With this knowledge, they’ll be able to confidently apply the concepts they’ve learned in their day-to-day work as well as spot malicious emails or links before becoming victims themselves. A successful cybersecurity awareness training program is critical for any business looking to stay secure online.

Chris Turn
 

Chris has experience covering the latest trends in the small business world, and has a reputation for being a knowledgeable, creative and strategic blogger. He has a deep understanding of marketing and branding principles and how they can be applied to small businesses, and is able to provide actionable advice and strategies for success. Chris has interviewed industry experts and covered major marketing events such as the SXSW Interactive conference and the Advertising Week conference. He is also a successful small business owner himself, which allows him to bring a unique perspective to his blogging and writing. His blog is known for providing valuable insights and tips on how to effectively market and brand a small business.