Every October, companies and organizations have the “cybersecurity month.” This is the time of the year where entities should review their security posture. Also, this is also a chance for them to share cybersecurity insights with society.
An important part of cybersecurity month is employee awareness. So if you are wondering what topics your employees should know, we will cover them for you.
In this post, we will be listing the tips and ideas of topics that you can cover for the next cybersecurity month.
Cybersecurity Month: Topics for Awareness for Employees
1. Password Management
Passwords are the easiest gateway for any cybercriminal. So how can you ensure healthy password practices?
Consider the following tips:
- Build a strong password. A strong password should be at least ten letters long. Also, it should contain a mixture of numbers and symbols. Another tip, use at least one uppercase and one lowercase letter.
- Never use the same password twice.
- Change your passwords regularly. Perhaps set a rule. For example, you can schedule the changing of passwords periodically, quarterly, or monthly.
- Use a password manager. A password manager, for instance, can help you manage different strong passwords for multiple sites and accounts. Also, it allows easy sharing of passwords. A popular tool is LastPass, for example. It offers both free and premium accounts.
- Generate passwords, instead. So instead of creating passwords, let a tool generate them for you. LastPass, for example, or any password manager, has a built-in password generator tool.
2. Set Regular Data Backups
Data backups aren’t only a reserve of data in case of a breach. But, data backups can also help you guard your files against ransomware.
For example, consider the following practices:
- Set and conduct frequent data backups of your system. Perhaps you can categorize your files and make a checklist of them. So you will not miss or leave anything behind. Prioritize the most important files, at least.
- Reserve files on an external hard drive or any other device. Also, make sure that it is not connected to your network.
3. Install and Update Protective Software
The most basic way- install a firewall and antivirus (AV) software. By doing so, you are empowering your front lines of defense. Also, in doing so, make sure to keep the following practices in mind, as listed below.
For example:
- Install updates as soon as available. This is because outdated software contains bugs.
- Use email filters, also.
- Use only one antivirus software.
4. Educate and Train Employees of the Basic Cybersecurity Practices
Aside from the mentioned points, here are more cyber health practices that every employee must know.
- Know when it is safe to enter personal information or send funds. For example, employees must know the difference between sites with HTTPS and HTTP. Also, they should know how to spot malicious emails. Always remind them to connect with the IT team or the management before dealing with any cash transfer.
- Educate about social engineering. Employees should know how cybercriminals can use them to disclose personal information by themselves by social engineering. This may include the use of social media and other survey or quiz platforms,
