If you’re becoming increasingly concerned about mitigating cyberattacks while working on behalf of your organisation, then our cybersecurity tips for employees are just what you need.
Workplace anxiety surrounding digital threats is growing, with a recent survey finding that nearly nine in ten employees are worried about increasingly sophisticated AI-powered phishing attempts.
The key to reducing this stress and empowering yourself to fight against cyber threats is gaining knowledge and understanding of how to manage attempted breaches and engaging in proactive reporting procedures.
In this article, we explore how you can help to protect the business you work within from cyberattacks while examining how employers can support this process by establishing safer working practices.
Cybersecurity tips for employees: The importance of awareness
Many business owners underestimate the importance of creating a culture that promotes cybersecurity awareness. This is a vital technique to ensure employees understand and embrace the security framework that is designed to protect the organisation and its staff.
While human error has long been cited as the biggest risk to an organisation’s digital safety, it is now being matched, or perhaps trumped, by the alarming security issues associated with the rising integration of AI into workplace practices.
According to a recent Fortune article, “…insider risk is no longer just about people. It is also about automated systems that have been trusted too quickly.”
The role of the business owner
To mitigate the risks of combining human error with reckless AI use, cultivate a safety-conscious workplace culture through regular cybersecurity awareness training that includes exercises like phishing simulations and micro-training modules to promote continuous learning.
The role of employees
As an employee, it’s equally important to support these efforts by positively engaging with ongoing training, developing an awareness of digital red flags, and utilising the safety protocols that have been put in place to ensure the protection of your organisation.
5 top cybersecurity tips for employees
To effectively safeguard your organisation’s digital entry points as an employee, there are several practices you can reference to help you put your best foot forward.
Here are our expert cybersecurity tips to help you at every turn.
#1. Adopt a Zero Trust mentality
When it comes to digital safety, it’s important to lean into the Zero Trust approach.
From carefully inspecting all communications for suspicious activity to verifying sender addresses and immediately reporting any unexpected attachments or questionable links, putting your training into regular practice will keep you alert and at the ready to tackle lurking cyber criminals.
You can further enhance these efforts with practical everyday actions, like ensuring personal USB drives and external discs are secure, and only connecting verified USB sticks to a work computer.
#2. Embrace multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication, another piece of the Zero Trust puzzle, is a hugely important tool for preventing system infiltration, and employees should optimise its function by understanding how it works and embracing it fully.
To ensure this extra layer of protection functions as it should, you need to use a trustworthy authenticator app, such as Microsoft Authenticator, to improve your organisation’s security posture.
It’s also vital that MFA is implemented and utilised across all systems containing sensitive information, from email to Microsoft 365.
#3. Exercise caution when working remotely
If you’re working on a hybrid or remote basis, your remote access methods must remain compliant with company policy. The key is to avoid doing sensitive work on open networks without protection.
To achieve this, you must regularly update your software and home router, use the correct VPN and adopt strict device access controls.
If you’re working remotely in a location outside of the home, it’s important to be even more diligent, ensuring you always lock your laptop, desktop or phone when leaving it unattended, and that you only connect to public WiFi or untrusted networks through VPNs for remote access.
#4. Be extra diligent with password security
To keep your passwords safe from hackers, there are several steps to take:
- Create long, complex passphrases that are more difficult for automated tools to crack.
- Use biometrics where possible.
- Choose different passwords for each site you access.
- Utilise password managers for safe storage.
Your organisation can support your efforts by running regular password audits to identify where vulnerabilities exist.
#5. Carry out regular updates and backups
Updating software and systems is vital for closing security gaps.
To stay ahead of the game and leave no margin for error, ensure all browsers and critical apps are set to auto-update where possible. Regularly check your settings to make sure this is still enabled, and carry out updates when prompted. Remove or disable apps or plugins you no longer need, as they may carry vulnerabilities.
The same rules apply to your firewalls, antivirus and endpoint protection tools, which need to be verified at regular intervals, ideally once a month.
Backing up your own important files is also an essential daily exercise to protect your valuable files and confidential data from accidental deletion or cyberattack.
Safely save copies using your company’s cloud storage, network folder or a secure external drive.
Learn more cybersecurity tips for employees with Calnet
At Calnet, we believe that equipping employees with the tools and knowledge they need to stay protected is the best form of defence.
Our comprehensive cybersecurity awareness training service echoes this, providing a range of elements that empower teams to become more educated and confident in their approach to cybersecurity.
Our service includes:
- Automated programmes designed to build and sustain a security-first culture.
- Tailored, role-specific training that reflects the real threats employees face in their day-to-day work.
- Realistic phishing simulations and baseline assessments to evaluate and improve employee responses.
We also provide detailed reporting and analytics, giving senior leaders and IT teams clear visibility into progress, risk levels, and areas for improvement.
We believe that true protection can be achieved by combining an educated team with a managed layer of technical controls that work alongside human awareness to strengthen your business’s overall defence.
To start transforming your team into confident, proactive frontline defenders, contact us today.
