Cyber Security Awareness - What exactly is the goal?

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Information Security
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Security Awareness
Glass wall with security icons. A person stands in front of it and selects an icon. The glass wall reads “Security Awareness”.
This article will tell you everything you need to know about cyber security awareness, from raising employee awareness to creating a secure IT culture.

What is Security Awareness

Security awareness describes the security consciousness and behaviour of an organisation's employees in today's digital world. It is an important component of corporate security, where employees learn to recognise digital threats and act in a security-conscious manner.

Today's technical defences are often no longer sufficient, as around 75% of all successful cyber-attacks use untrained employees as a gateway into the digital corporate world. Attackers are using increasingly sophisticated methods such as deepfakes. As a result, effective security awareness is critical to business continuity and protecting shareholder value.

What is the goal of security awareness?

The objectives of security awareness are complex and are designed to protect an organisation in the long term. The focus is on educating employees. They should learn to recognise cyber threats and respond appropriately. By developing security awareness among employees and establishing a strong security culture, security incidents caused by human error are significantly reduced.

This not only helps to protect sensitive corporate data, but also to meet compliance requirements and reduce the potential financial damage caused by cyber incidents.

To achieve this goal, TreeSolution has been helping organisations optimise their digital security by empowering their people since 2005. With the proven Security Awareness Radar® and related training materials, TreeSolution enables its customers to effectively reduce security risks and build a sustainable security culture.
The results speak for TreeSolution: employees have already completed more than 1.7 million courses. This has increased security awareness in organisations by up to 45%. The concept of analysis, training and continuous improvement, combined with innovative solutions such as e-learning platforms, phishing training and chatbot services, makes TreeSolution a reliable partner for companies that want to strengthen their "human firewall" in the long term.

Actions to strengthen IT security awareness in your organisation

The starting point for improving IT security awareness is always a thorough analysis of the existing security culture in the organisation. Regular measurements can identify weaknesses. The findings form the basis for a training concept that combines e-learning, classroom training and practical exercises. It is always important for management to set an example and provide the necessary resources.

For long-term success, it is important to regularly review the awareness measures and adapt them to new threats. Hands-on exercises such as phishing simulations, which test what has been learned in a controlled environment, are particularly effective. A good security culture can only be maintained through regular training and updates that are integrated into the daily work routine.

With TreeSolution as your partner, you benefit from over 19 years of experience in security awareness and a comprehensive training programme.

What types of security awareness training do companies provide?

There are several forms of security awareness training and they are often used in combination to achieve the most effective and sustainable awareness.

E-learning modules:

This is a digital training course and forms the backbone of many security awareness programs. They provide basic knowledge on specific security topics in an interactive way. Training is flexible and can be completed at your own pace.

Classroom training/Workshops:

Individual training and workshops provide in-depth coverage of security topics. The direct interaction between experts and participants allows you to clarify questions and benefit from practical experience. This form of training is particularly effective for managers and employees in particularly vulnerable positions.

Phishing simulations:

This is a practical exercise to test how employees behave in realistic situations. Simulated phishing emails help employees recognise suspicious messages. If mistakes are made, they are immediately explained and training is provided, leading to long-term security awareness.

Awareness campaigns:

Regular awareness campaigns keep IT security in the spotlight. Posters, newsletters and intranet articles provide security tips and highlight current threats. This ongoing awareness helps to embed security into everyday working practices.

Microlearning/nano-learning:

Short learning units of 2-5 minutes convey specific security topics. This form of learning can be easily integrated into everyday work and ensures that the learning is better embedded through regular repetition.

Chatbot training:

Modern AI-based chatbots offer interactive training opportunities. They can answer questions, run through scenarios or give individual feedback. This form of training is flexible and can be used at any time.

Live hacking shows:

In powerful live demonstrations, IT security experts show how cyber-attacks work and how easy it is to exploit vulnerabilities in organisations. The practical demonstrations make abstract threats tangible and create a lasting awareness of IT security. The show-like character and the direct demonstration ensure that the content is particularly well remembered by the participants and motivates them to be more vigilant when dealing with IT systems.

Emergency drills/simulations:

Controlled simulations are used to model security incidents to test and improve response capabilities. These practical exercises help to optimise processes and identify weaknesses in emergency plans.

Why is Security Awareness important for organisations?

An effective security awareness strategy not only protects against the security risks mentioned above, but also provides measurable business benefits:

  • Reducing security incidents and associated costs
  • Strengthening business continuity and shareholder value
  • Meeting regulatory and compliance requirements
  • Improved competitiveness through increased confidence
  • Protection of sensitive corporate data and intellectual property

Investing in security awareness pays off in a number of ways: By systematically measuring the progress of awareness, organisations can not only prove the effectiveness of their efforts, but also gain a solid basis for strategic planning of further security investments. In more than 50% of cases, this leads to the approval of additional budgets for cyber security - a clear sign of the recognised added value of a comprehensive security awareness programme.

Protecting against the ever-increasing number of cyber threats is important. Recent studies show that the majority of successful cyber attacks are due to human error. That's why a well-trained team that recognises and responds to threats is the best protection for an organisation.

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