Online Security Awareness Training

Is online security awareness training effective?

With human error involved in more than 90% of security breaches, many CISOs have turned to online security awareness training to boost employee understanding of cyber threats and how to respond to them.

But does security awareness training really work? For most organizations, the answer is no. Despite billions of dollars spent on security awareness training programs, companies today are even more likely to experience a breach than they were four years ago.

How is this possible? To put it bluntly, most online security awareness training is dull, long and ineffective. The content is boring, making it impossible for employees to pay attention. It's time-consuming, taking employees away from their busy schedule. And it's doesn't give employees a sense of individual responsibility for helping protect the organization.

Mimecast offers an online security awareness training program that addresses these flaws by taking a different approach: humorous content, delivered in short doses, with a focus on individual risk scoring.

Comprehensive tools for security awareness

The elements of Mimecast online cybersecurity awareness training program include:

• Short training modules featuring video-based content that gets employees laughing. These highly entertaining sessions not only keep employees engaged but help to improve long-term retention of best practices and instill a positive attitude toward awareness training.
• Testing to gauge baseline attitudes and progress on learning. Before any training begins, we test to evaluate each employee's basic attitudes toward security. At the end of each training module, we test gauge their progress and understanding of the material. The Mimecast Awareness Training platform also includes state-of-the-art tools for phishing testing to gauge your employee's reactions to realistic phishing emails.
• Risk scoring to identify your greatest areas of risk. Every employee gets a personalized risk score based on testing data, on personal behavior and on how likely they are to be attacked by virtue of their position within the company.
• Customized training based on risk scores. After reviewing employee risk scores, Mimecast lets you direct targeted resources toward your riskiest employees, helping to improve their knowledge through additional training or one-on-one coaching.

FAQs: what is online security awareness training

What is security awareness?

Security awareness refers to the understanding by employees of the various threats to organizational security, what these threats look like when encountered by a user, and how employees can take action to stop or avoid security threats.

What is online security awareness training?

Online security awareness training is an educational tool that allows employees to interact online with training modules that help to improve their awareness of threats and how to handle them.

How do you create a security awareness program?

A cyber awareness program is typically built with training and testing capabilities that allow you to educate employees about security best practices and to test their progress in mastering them. With Mimecast online security awareness training, you can quickly and easily implement a security awareness program that employees all over the world can access.

What is the best defense against phishing?

Defending against phishing attacks requires a multilayered approach to security, including technology to recognize and block potential threats in inbound email, and awareness training for employees on how to spot phishing attacks and what to do when they encounter one. Mimecast's integrated security offerings provide powerful solutions for all levels of phishing defenses.