Security awareness training vs security culture - Why you need both

In today's ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape, it's essential to understand the importance of having a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. Two crucial components of such a strategy include security awareness training and security culture. But what are security awareness training and security culture, and why are they both necessary? Let's take a closer look.

Security awareness training

Security awareness training involves educating employees about potential security risks and how to identify and prevent them. Such risks may include phishing attacks, malware infections, and social engineering techniques. Typically, this training consists of simulated phishing emails and other cybersecurity training exercises.

While security awareness training is essential, it's not enough on its own. In a recent survey, cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab found that while 59% of employees receive security awareness training, only 48% of companies have a comprehensive cybersecurity policy. This discrepancy highlights the need for organizations to develop a security culture that goes beyond training alone.

Security culture

Security culture refers to the overall security mindset of an organization. It's a culture where everyone takes responsibility for cybersecurity, from the top executives down to the lowest-level employees. In such an environment, cybersecurity practices become ingrained into the company culture, making it a habit for all employees to practice secure computing.

According to a study by the Ponemon Institute, organizations with a strong security culture are much more likely to be able to prevent and mitigate security incidents effectively. In fact, such organizations are 52% less likely to experience data breaches and other cyber incidents.

Why you need both

So, if security awareness training and security culture are both essential, which one is more critical? The answer is both. Security awareness training is necessary to educate employees and provide them with the tools they need to identify and prevent security incidents. However, having a strong security culture means that each employee takes cybersecurity seriously and is motivated to maintain best practices to protect the organization.

By combining security awareness training with a strong security culture, organizations can create a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy that significantly reduces the risk of security incidents.

Conclusion

In today's digital world, cybersecurity is no longer just an IT department issue. It's everyone's responsibility. A strong cybersecurity strategy requires both security awareness training and a security culture that permeates throughout the entire organization. By taking cybersecurity seriously and making it a habit, organizations can create a safer computing environment that benefits everyone.

References:

• "Kaspersky Security Bulletin 2019: Human Factor in IT Security" (https://www.kaspersky.com/blog/kaspersky-security-bulletin/20860/)
• "2020 State of Cybersecurity: Cultivating a Culture of Security" (https://www.fireeye.com/content/dam/fireeye-www/mktg-content/fy20/white-paper/wp-building-culture-of-security.pdf)
• "The Importance of a Security Culture" (https://www.issmsummit.org/the-importance-of-a-security-culture/)