How to Create a Company Culture of Phishing Awareness and Action

Even if employees know the basic definition and details of phishing attacks, that knowledge doesn’t equate to real, contextual awareness in terms of how phishing can and will affect them. Here we consider the four main qualities of a healthy phishing culture that puts employees in the driver’s seat in terms of preventing attacks.

 

Awareness

Employees need to be aware of phishing attacks and how they can be used to gain access to sensitive information. Awareness is the foundation upon which all other phishing culture qualities are built. True awareness is characterized by a genuine understanding of the risks phishing poses, not just a superficial understanding of phishing attacks. Unique company attributes, such as a company’s history and frequency of phishing attacks, can contribute to true awareness.

 

Reporting

Reporting allows companies to track phishing attempts and take action to prevent them. But not all organizations have formal channels for reporting phishing attempts. Even those that do may find that reporting is inconsistent among employees. This can lead to lost opportunities to prevent attacks and greater risks for both companies and their employees. Techniques such as gamification or socialization of reporting can help.

 

Testing

Organizations need to test their employees’ phishing awareness with regular phishing simulations. Testing allows companies to gauge their employees’ phishing awareness and take action to improve it. Gartner provides a list of leading training solutions that can help organizations phish their employees in a safe and controlled environment.

 

Action

Organizations need to take action based on the results of phishing simulations and employee reports of phishing attempts. This ensures that companies are taking steps to prevent phishing attacks, whether through detecting common attacks or improving the security capabilities of everyday workers.

 

Five Steps to Create a Culture of Phishing Awareness and Action

Progressing successfully from awareness to action requires a strategic approach that engages employees at all levels of phishing awareness. Here are five steps that cybersecurity leaders can take to create a culture of phishing awareness and action among their organizations’ employees.

 

1. 1.Educate employees on phishing and its consequences. 

 

Educating employees is the first step to creating a culture of phishing awareness and action. Begin by engaging cybersecurity leaders in a formal setting to discuss an educational program that can drive results among employees. Cooperate with a consultant and solution provider who can help you align your goals with real results.

 

2. Encourage employees to report phishing attempts.

Many employees are reluctant to report phishing attempts because they don’t have a method for doing so, they don’t know how to do so, or think that someone else will take care of it instead. Work with your leadership and partner teams to create formal channels for reporting. Consider reporting programs that gamify reporting or create a social experience around reporting to support participation.

 

3. Implement policies and procedures for reporting phishing attempts.

Implementing policies and procedures for reporting phishing attempts is another way to ensure that phishing reports are made and dealt with promptly. Align policies with positive actions and outcomes so that employees perceive them in a positive light, increasing chances of their participation. Make policies easy to understand and ensure they don’t create conflicts with employee responsibilities and workflows.

 

4. Provide training on how to recognize phishing attempts.

Providing training on how to recognize phishing attempts is essential. Many phishing attempts are sophisticated and can fool even the most tech-savvy employees. Adopting an existing formal training program is often the best route to successful training; however, cybersecurity leaders should consider supplementing programs with phishing cases and examples uniquely relevant to their organizations.

 

5. 5.Monitor and adjust phishing awareness and action programs over time.

 

Cybersecurity training, policies, and techniques quickly become outdated as threats evolve. New lines of business and new employees create new gaps in awareness and action that must be remedied as well. Cybersecurity leaders should regularly review phishing reports to identify trends and determine if additional training or education is needed.

 

Cybersecurity Strength in Numbers

The cultural aspects of cybersecurity are just as important as the technologies and technical skill sets organizations employ as part of their cybersecurity efforts. Indeed, it’s by establishing a culture that organizations ensure the resiliency of their cybersecurity: encouraging the adoption of leading tools, for example, and making sure employees are open to the latest techniques and trainings. Creating this culture today provides for long-term safety, as well as business success.

 

Partner with Semifly for Cybersecurity Transformation

The cybersecurity experts at Semifly help organizations as they consider new cybersecurity solutions, supplement their in-house cybersecurity teams, and transform their company culture for greater security resiliency. If you’re ready for the next step of your cybersecurity journey, contact us today to learn how Semifly can help.