Year after year of expensive outlays aimed at foiling hackers so far have yielded meager progress, while a cost-effective alternative stares us in the face: overcoming human error.<\/p>\n
Thanks to a new generation of cybersecurity courseware that accommodates the full range of technical aptitudes\u2014from chief information officer to your most far-flung sales representative\u2014the on-the-job training and education community has a rare opportunity to make a huge, positive contribution to the bottom line with a single stroke.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a four-step plan to secure funding for a massive, sturdy cybersafety net you can launch on Monday and have up and running by Friday.<\/p>\n
1. Build your case on two main whys:<\/strong> mobile\u2019s reach and phishing\u2019s rise. By next year, according to Target Marketing magazine, the 20 billionth mobile phone will be sold. The world operates through and in the \u201ccloud.\u201d With so many potential victims and entryways at criminals\u2019 fingertips, it\u2019s no surprise they favor the easiest strategy to plunder our bank accounts, medical histories, trade secrets, or whatever else they want.<\/p>\n Phishing with a clever false identity as bait fits the bill perfectly. All it takes for disaster to strike is a harried co-worker who clicks open a fake birthday e-card or what appears to be a timely, personalized alert from a trusted source. Still, human nature clings to comforting assumptions\u2014that database breaches occur solely at an esoteric and sophisticated level and, therefore, aren\u2019t an immediate concern.<\/p>\n Counter \u201cit won\u2019t happen here\u201d thinking with a dramatic case history taken from the latest hair-raising headlines. If possible, zero in on a competitor or a company with a similar profile. Your audience won\u2019t need much prodding to draw a vivid picture of shrinking market share, a plummeting stock price, widespread layoffs, lawsuits, and countless other misfortunes.<\/p>\n Next, offer a concise view of cybercrimes\u2019 rampage through our economy. Quote industry reporters and experts, especially those who take on the task of quantifying a hack\u2019s long-term damage.<\/p>\n 2. Create a lesson plan anyone can follow.<\/strong> Phishing\u2019s best disguises tap our deepest longings, survival instincts, and most ingrained habits. That last word\u2014habits\u2014is precisely the means by which you\u2019ll turn the tables on the next Web-borne impostor who sneaks up on your enterprise. A habit is no different from a skill; both can be taught, strengthened, and measured with innovative, thoughtful curricula and expert, accomplished instruction.<\/p>\n Promote the fundamentals of your plan by drawing on this concept and linking it directly to the cybersecurity awareness courseware you research, test, and match to each student category within your organization.<\/p>\n Describe how best practices for a mobile, connected workforce rest on greater sensitivity to suspicious e-mails, more robust passwords, and better watchfulness over the dangerous intersection between technology and the con artist\u2019s tool kit.<\/p>\n Emphasize that any employee who logs on to the Internet (e.g., everyone) plays a crucial role in guarding your firewall, once empowered by the right learning experience.<\/p>\n At the same time, remember to steer clear of \u201cthe weeds.\u201d If you see too much detail about the minute-by-minute transformation to a smarter cybercitizen in your material, remove it.<\/p>\n