How Often Should Employees Get Cybersecurity Awareness Training?

Employees should get cybersecurity awareness training about every 4 months. A study presented at the USENIX SOUPS conference found that people’s ability to spot phishing stayed strong 4 months after training but dropped noticeably after 6 months (Security Boulevard summary). Short, regular sessions work better than one long annual course.

Below are the topics to cover and how to build a security culture. 

Why Is Cybersecurity Awareness Training Each 4-Months Recommended?

So, where does this four-month recommendation come from? There was a study presented at the USENIX SOUPS security conference recently. It looked at users’ ability to detect phishing emails versus training frequency. It looked at training on phishing awareness and IT security.

Employees took phishing identification tests at several different time increments:

• 4-months
• 6-months
• 8-months
• 10-months
• 12-months

The study found that four months after their training scores were good. Employees were still able to accurately identify and avoid clicking on phishing emails. But after 6-months, their scores started to get worse. Scores continued to decline the more months that passed after their initial training.

To keep employees well prepared, they need training and refreshers on security awareness. This will help them to act as a positive agent in your cybersecurity strategy.

Tips on What & How to Train Employees to Develop a Cybersecurity Culture

The gold standard for security awareness training is to develop a cybersecure culture. This is one where everyone is cognizant of the need to protect sensitive data. As well as avoid phishing scams, and keep passwords secured.

Sophos’s 2021 threat report found this is not the case in most organizations. One of the biggest threats to network security is a lack of good security practices.

The report states the following,

“A lack of attention to one or more aspects of basic security hygiene has been found to be at the root cause of many of the most damaging attacks we’ve investigated.”

Well-trained employees significantly reduce a company’s risk. They reduce the chance of falling victim to any number of different online attacks. To be well-trained doesn’t mean you have to conduct a long day of cybersecurity training. It’s better to mix up the delivery methods.

Here are some examples of engaging ways to train employees on cybersecurity. You can include these in your training plan:

• Self-service videos that get emailed once per month
• Team-based roundtable discussions
• Security “Tip of the Week” in company newsletters or messaging channels
• Training session given by an IT professional
• Simulated phishing tests
• Cybersecurity posters
• Celebrate Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October

When conducting training, phishing is a big topic to cover, but it’s not the only one. Here are some important topics that you want to include in your mix of awareness training.

Phishing by Email, Text & Social Media

Email phishing is still the most prevalent form. But SMS phishing (“smishing”) and phishing over social media are both growing. Employees must know what these look like, so they can avoid falling for these sinister scams.

Learn the differences between phishing, smishing, and vishing.

Credential & Password Security

Many businesses have moved most of their data and processes to cloud-based platforms. This has led to a steep increase in credential theft because it’s the easiest way to breach SaaS cloud tools.

Credential theft is now the #1 cause of data breaches globally. This makes it a topic that is critical to address with your team. Discuss the need to keep passwords secure and the use of strong passwords. Also, help them learn tools like a business password manager.

Share our list of common IT advice with your team.

Mobile Device Security

Mobile devices are now used for a large part of the workload in a typical office. They’re handy for reading and replying to an email from anywhere. Most companies will not even consider using software these days if it doesn’t have a great mobile app.

Review security needs for employee devices that access business data and apps. Such as securing the phone with a passcode and keeping it properly updated.

Data Security

Data privacy regulations are something else that has been rising over the years. Most companies have more than one data privacy regulation requiring compliance.

Train employees on proper data handling and security procedures. This reduces the risk you’ll fall victim to a data leak or breach that can end up in a costly compliance penalty.

Philippine businesses must also train staff on the Data Privacy Act.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should employees get cybersecurity training? 

About every 4 months. Research shows phishing awareness stays strong for about 4 months after training and drops after 6 months. 

What topics should cybersecurity awareness training cover? 

Phishing by email, text, and social media; password security and multi-factor authentication; mobile device security; safe data handling; and how to report suspicious activity. 

Is annual cybersecurity training enough? 

Usually not. Skills fade within months, so short, regular sessions and simulated phishing tests work better than one yearly course. 

How do you make cybersecurity training effective? 

Keep sessions short, use real examples, mix formats like videos and quizzes, run phishing simulations, and give feedback right away.

Need help keeping your team trained? 

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a good time to schedule your next session. CloudConsole runs regular security awareness training and phishing simulations for Philippine businesses as part of our cybersecurity services. Schedule a consultation.