Most business owners understand the importance of cybersecurity but do not take it seriously. Cybersecurity has been a major issue over the past few years, and it will only continue to grow. It is important to take proactive measures and implement a cybersecurity strategy rather than just react when an incident occurs. Cybersecurity can be implemented in many ways, but one of the most effective ways would be to conduct phishing simulations. What are the benefits of using phishing simulations you wonder? Simulations not only make employees aware of potential phishing scams but also promote awareness and empathy for cybercrime victims. Curious to find more benefits? This article will provide you with an in-depth answer.
What is Phishing
Phishing is a fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details. You can receive phishing over the phone, email, or social media. Phishing emails are disguised as belonging to a legitimate company, such as your bank, and include links to phishing websites that look almost identical to the website they are trying to imitate.
What is Phishing Simulation
A phishing simulation is when an employee receives an email that appears to be from a legitimate company, but an attacker sends it. The email requests personal information or asks the user to click on a link to confirm their details. If the user clicks on the link, they are directed to a fake website where an attacker collects their details.
The Benefits of Phishing Simulations
There are many benefits to conducting phishing simulations. First, they are an effective way to identify employees vulnerable to scams or who are not following best practices for cybersecurity.
Employees become aware of different type of Phishing Emails
Phishing emails come in various forms, and simulations allow employees to view how they would react when faced with a potentially dangerous situation. This allows them to reflect and change their behavior accordingly.
Employees gain knowledge and understanding
Many employees do not understand how common it is for people to be phished or what constitutes phishing. Conducting simulations allows employees to be aware of the different ways they could potentially fall victim to cybercrime, allowing them to act more appropriately.
Employees become more empathetic
When employees face their own simulated phishing email, they can better empathize with victims of cybercrime. They understand how vulnerable people could be scammed and its impact on their lives. This, in turn, makes them more vigilant to suspicious emails and increases the likelihood of them reporting it immediately.
More likely to report a cyber attack
By conducting phishing simulations, organizations will increase the likelihood of their employees reporting any suspected phishing emails. Employees usually do not want to be seen as a problem within an organization. The simulations make them aware of any weaknesses and allow them to change their behavior.
They understand the consequences
Conducting phishing simulations educates employees on cybercrime’s possible financial and legal consequences. They can then be more likely to take cybersecurity measures seriously as they fully understand what could happen if they fail to do so.
Less likely to click on phishing links
When employees have interacted with a simulated phishing email, they are more aware of the dangers and more likely to report them. Empathy is important in relation to cybersecurity, as it encourages employees to treat others with respect and helps prevent potential cybercrime.
Employees stay safe online
Employees receive advice and training on staying safe online during a phishing simulation. This includes tips on what to look for when identifying a potentially dangerous email and how to report any potential threats. If employees follow the company’s guidelines after the simulations, there will be less cybercrime. It will also help them to stay more safe online, which can be extra important when working from home.
Reduction of legal liabilities
Having a good cybersecurity structure and clear guidelines for employees reduces an organization’s legal liabilities. In addition, strong communication between employees and management and regular cyber training to ensure they understand their roles and responsibilities reduce cybercrime risk.
Productivity will increase
Training is essential to avoid their employees being a liability when it comes to a cyber-attack. In addition, simulations are a good way of ensuring that all employees know the best ways to identify and report any cybercrimes. They can then do their job efficiently without worrying about making any errors resulting in financial or legal consequences.
Save time and costs
Staff will not need as much training because they have already experienced a simulated phishing email. As a result, employers will save time and money since the staff requires less support after the simulations. Employees will also be more productive as they are well trained and understand how cybercrime can impact their company.
Reduce the likelihood of cybercrime
Having a strong cybersecurity structure and guidelines effectively ensures your employees do not become a liability. For example, if there is clear communication between all staff members and they have good information about how to report phishing emails, it will reduce the risk of cybercrime.
Hiring additional staff can be costly
Simulations are cheaper than hiring new IT-staff members to monitor employee activity online because it only requires a limited time investment. This is beneficial for companies as it reduces their costs and makes them more efficient in fighting cybercrime.
Save money
Regular simulations are very helpful for an organization to save money. This could mean better quality products and services for their clients, competitive salaries, and more effective marketing campaigns.
A healthy level of paranoia
Paranoia within an organization is important about cybersecurity. It allows employees to be cautious when they receive emails and encourages them to think carefully about whether it looks suspicious or not. This will reduce the number of phishing emails that get through to staff, which reduces the risk of cybercrime for that company.
Conclusion
Phishing simulations training is a simple yet direct method of getting your employees to be more aware of the potential dangers. The solution is proactive and provides short-term and long-term benefits for all involved. The staff becomes more adept at identifying suspicious emails, providing advice on dealing with them, and reducing legal liabilities. After reading this article, we hope that you better understand how beneficial these phishing simulations are.