In today’s threat landscape, it’s not enough for companies to rely solely on technical protective measures like firewalls, encryption techniques, or monitoring systems. Nowadays, organizations must pursue a holistic security strategy that integrates not only technical but also organizational measures for optimal cyber protection.
Employees play a crucial role in defending against cyberattacks. Regularly sensitized and well-trained staff can form a "human firewall" that protects the company from cyber threats.
Regular security awareness training offers a solution to empower both management and employees to recognize phishing attacks and social engineering tactics and respond appropriately.
There are various training options available, ranging from online learning platforms with questionnaires to in-person training sessions.
Online learning platforms allow employees to be trained quickly and cost-effectively, ensuring companies meet regulatory requirements. It’s important to ensure that employees don’t simply “click through” the training to obtain a certificate but are engaged with practical content, such as simulations.
A significant drawback of such platforms is that employees often consume the content passively or in a distracted manner, paying little attention to the learning materials.
Unlike live training sessions, these platforms lack direct interaction, which often results in lower motivation to explore topics in depth, understand them thoroughly, and derive real value from the training for themselves and the company.
Consequently, online training can sometimes be perceived merely as a compulsory task, and the primary goal of establishing a shared security culture in the organization — to protect both the company and employees’ jobs — may be lost, reducing the effectiveness of such training.
In-person training sessions provide an alternative to learning platforms. These are usually practical and interactive, ideally featuring training content tailored to the company's specific needs. Experienced trainers can explain complex topics immediately and address individual and company-specific questions in real time.
By actively involving participants, in-person sessions increase engagement and motivation, which positively impacts learning success and comprehension of complex topics.
The opportunity for participants to interact directly with trainers and colleagues emphasizes the importance and urgency of security measures, making it easier to raise awareness of cyber risks among employees. In-person training sessions can also be customized to meet the individual needs or industry-specific requirements of a company. This helps participants understand how and why they might be directly affected by cyber threats and what impact these threats could have on themselves and the company.
Through tailored simulations and practical exercises, participants can experience how they might respond to real threats in a controlled environment and assess if they could potentially fall victim to an attacker.
