In today’s world, cybercrime and cyber warfare are real threats that have escalated rapidly over the past few years. Cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated and frequent, so organizations must take proactive steps to reduce the risks of cyberattacks. These attacks will happen, regardless of the size of the organization or the type of business, and are often indiscriminate, not targeting any specific organization. Many small businesses have fallen victim by thinking they are too small and therefore not of interest to attackers.
There are two main approaches to addressing cybersecurity risks within an organization: cybersecurity awareness programs and cybersecurity training programs. While both are essential, they have important differences in terms of their objectives, scope, and audience.
Cybersecurity Awareness Program: Everyone Must Stay Alert
A cybersecurity awareness program focuses on changing employee behavior and creating a security culture at the corporate level. Its purpose is to ensure that all employees, regardless of their role, are aware of the cyber threats they may face in their daily activities and know how to act to prevent them. It does not require advanced technical knowledge, but rather aims to educate employees on basic and critical security practices.
This type of program typically covers topics such as:
- Recognizing phishing emails, smishing messages, and vishing calls.
- Best practices for secure password management.
- Social engineering.
- Appropriate responses to suspicious incidents (malware).
- Workplace security.
- Regulatory compliance.
The value of these programs lies in the fact that cyberattacks are primarily focused on employees, accounting for 85% of attacks. By educating all employees, the risk is drastically reduced that a person without technical knowledge will fall for common scams or access unsafe websites. Awareness is not a one-time action, but an ongoing process that keeps employees informed about emerging threats in their daily tasks.
Cybersecurity Training Program: Focused on Technicians
On the other hand, a cybersecurity training program is designed to teach specific technical skills and knowledge to professionals who directly manage security systems. This type of training is essential for IT, cybersecurity teams, and other areas that require advanced knowledge in protecting technological infrastructures, detecting attacks, and responding to incidents.
Topics covered in these programs can include:
- Security incident management.
- Vulnerability analysis and security audits.
- Implementation of standards and regulations (ISO 27001, NIST, etc.).
- Cybersecurity tools such as firewalls, SIEMs, and antivirus.
While cybersecurity training is crucial for specialist staff, not all employees need this level of technical knowledge. For most employees, awareness is enough to ensure they act responsibly and safely in the face of everyday threats.
All employees need cybersecurity awareness
Unlike cybersecurity training, all employees must participate in cybersecurity awareness programs. From managers to administrators, everyone can be a target of cyberattacks. By being aware, every employee becomes the first line of defense against cyberattacks.
In addition, in many sectors, cybersecurity awareness is not only a good practice, but a regulatory requirement. In Europe, the NIS 2 Directive (Directive 2022/2555) is a European standard aimed at improving the cyber resilience of organizations operating in 18 sectors such as Transport, Health, Finance, Food, Cloud, Telecommunications, Digital Services, R&D or Public Administration, among others.
To comply with the NIS 2 Directive, organizations must implement cybersecurity measures that include employee awareness, risk identification and management, and the adoption of good security practices.
Tools like Kymatio help you comply with NIS 2
An effective solution to help companies comply with the NIS 2 Directive and improve their security is Kymatio, a cybersecurity awareness platform tailored to the specific needs of each organization. Kymatio stands out for its ability to assess and manage human risk within the organization, identifying employees most vulnerable to cyber threats and offering personalized awareness programs.
The platform also provides reports and metrics to measure the effectiveness of the awareness program, allowing companies to demonstrate their commitment to cybersecurity and regulatory compliance. This not only reduces the risk of cyberattacks, but also ensures that the organization is aligned with European regulations such as the NIS 2 Directive.
While both approaches – awareness and training – are crucial in a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, all employees must participate in cybersecurity awareness programs to protect the organization from cyber threats. Cybersecurity training, on the other hand, is aimed at technical teams responsible for managing and maintaining security systems.
