Providing adequate training and implementing protective procedures in the context of cybersecurity for employees is a vital move for Irish organisations.
Given that 95% of data breaches in 2024 were tied to human error, equipping teams with a practical and user-friendly cybersecurity checklist can make a significant difference to a business’s cyber risk profile.
Read on to discover our tailored cybersecurity checklist, which will help you, your employees and your organisation to remain resilient in the face of evolving cyber threats.
Cybersecurity for employees: The ultimate checklist
Let’s examine the most effective ways in which you can empower your employees to prevent data breaches and malicious attacks.
1. Provide regular phishing awareness training
Coordinate employee awareness training with a trusted IT provider to encourage your team to be phishing-aware. This training will educate your employees on the importance of inspecting communications carefully, enabling them to detect potential suspicious activity.
These sessions will emphasise the importance of verifying sender addresses and reporting suspicious emails immediately, as well as warning against opening or clicking on any unexpected attachments or questionable links. Simulated phishing campaigns will often also be used as part of the sessions to build muscle memory in this area.
It’s also important to remember that this training should not be treated as a once-off exercise; short refresher sessions should be organised regularly to help employees remain alert.
2. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) across all systems
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds a second verification step before access is granted to systems, such as sending a code to your phone. This extra layer of protection makes it significantly harder for cybercriminals to gain access to sensitive data.
Organisations need to implement MFA across email, VPN, Microsoft 365 and systems containing confidential information.
Encourage employees to use a trustworthy authenticator app (like Microsoft Authenticator or Google Authenticator) rather than SMS, as these are generally more secure.
3. Use a password manager and encourage the creation of unique passwords
Password managers serve as a safe and convenient way to store multiple passwords. They also help to generate highly secure passwords automatically, which can drastically reduce the risk of a single breach exposing multiple accounts, a common way attackers wreak havoc through an organisation.
If an employee creates their own passwords, encourage the use of long, complex passphrases and prohibit reuse across sites.
4. Review access permissions
The principle of least privilege (PoLP) means users should only have access to the information needed to do their job. With this in mind, employees should regularly check which shared drives, tools or folders they have access to.
Removing or flagging unnecessary access rights helps to minimise risk if accounts are compromised.
IT teams can support this with regular audits, but employee vigilance is equally important.
5. Carry out regular software and patch updates
Hackers often exploit known vulnerabilities in outdated software to gain entry to business systems. Taking just a few minutes to install updates helps close these security gaps before any damage can be done.
Ensure your OS, browsers and critical apps are set to auto-update where possible, and remind employees that updates don’t simply add features; they patch real threats that attackers actively target.
6. Verify that your security tools are working properly
To avoid devices becoming exposed to cybercriminals, employees should verify that antivirus, firewalls and endpoint protection tools are running properly.
This shouldn’t be a time-consuming exercise; a quick monthly check of security icons or task status dashboards will provide peace of mind to all involved.
If something looks wrong, employees should immediately report it to the organisation’s IT provider.
7. Review remote and hybrid access setups
Hybrid and remote working environments are undoubtedly convenient, but they come with a range of threats that must be protected against.
As work patterns change, employees should ensure their remote access methods remain compliant with company policy. This includes using the right VPN, regularly updating home routers, and not sharing devices with others.
Reviewing these setups at least quarterly will help to ensure security doesn’t lag behind evolving working habits.
8. Run baseline checks to boost cybersecurity for employees
Employees should occasionally confirm that MFA is still active, passwords remain strong, and devices are updated, so they are positioned to take corrective action immediately if required.
Organisations can support this by building awareness of where vulnerabilities exist. Running baseline phishing or password audits is an effective way to achieve this.
Further measures to enhance cybersecurity for employees
To enhance the above cybersecurity best practices, employees should be encouraged to personally take further protective measures. These include:
- Back up your own important files by maintaining a personal working copy to avoid loss from accidental deletion or corruption.
- Always lock your laptop, desktop or phone when leaving it unattended, and use strong device passcodes or biometrics.
- Avoid doing sensitive work on open networks without protection.
- If you are connecting to public WiFi or untrusted networks, use VPNs for remote access.
- Ensure personal USB drives, external disks or IoT devices are secure.
- Don’t connect unknown USB sticks to a work computer.
- Remove or disable apps, browser extensions or plugins you no longer need, as they may carry vulnerabilities.
- Report incidents or anomalies to your IT provider immediately.
Embedding these habits at an employee level will reinforce the security foundations of your organisation.
Empower your employees through expert cybersecurity awareness training
At Calnet IT Solutions, we take a holistic approach to cybersecurity, combining human awareness and robust technical controls.
Through our comprehensive cybersecurity awareness training, clients and their employees can benefit from:
- Simulated phishing and baseline testing to measure and improve employee behaviours.
- Automated training campaigns that reinforce security culture.
- Role-based or customised security training that addresses real-world threats.
- Reporting and analytics to provide insights for senior management and IT leads who wish to track progress and risk.
- Managed overlay of technical controls that complement human measures.
By combining our managed services with your cybersecurity checklist, you will succeed in empowering your employees to act as frontline defenders.
Contact Calnet IT to improve your cybersecurity for employees today
If you’d like our team to help you turn this checklist into an operational, organisation-wide security programme, we’d be delighted to assist.
Contact us today to discover how we can keep your business running smoothly through our cybersecurity services.
