How vital is cybersecurity awareness for a company’s overall IT security?

The benefits of cybersecurity awareness programs are currently the subject of broad discussion, particularly when it comes to phishing simulations. Nowadays, companies not only invest in IT security solutions, but also in the training of their employees with the goal of making them more conscious of security issues.

Already 96 percent of companies conduct security awareness trainings. This is one of the results of a study among qualified, international security experts, conducted by Lucy Security.

Security awareness covers various training measures which sensitize a company’s employees to IT security issues. The goal of these measures is to minimize the risks to IT security caused by employees.

Companies do not exploit employees’ potential

81 percent of the companies surveyed carry out phishing simulations. It is noteworthy, however, that only slightly more than half of the companies already include their employees in their security arrangements. For example, only 51 percent of the companies use a phishing alarm button.

49 percent do not use this function and thus do not exploit the full potential of their staff. The so-called “human firewall” is not activated. “The lack of use of a phishing incident button wastes a lot of protection potential and user motivation,” comments Palo Stacho, Head of Operations at Lucy Security.

In 92 percent of the companies, cybersecurity awareness has increased in recent months. 96 percent also agree that cybersecurity awareness has led to a higher level of security in their company. 98 percent are also convinced that security awareness measures make attacks by cyber criminals more difficult.

Phishing simulations strengthen trust in superiors

The measures also strengthen the confidence in the management. Almost 89 percent of the survey participants “fully”, “largely” or “rather agree” that trust in management is not called into question by phishing campaigns.

73 percent also confirm that the security awareness measures do not cause any fear among employees. In fact, the measures have the opposite effect: 95 percent of the respondents say that the phishing simulations have a positive effect on the working atmosphere. 100 percent also claim that the measures have a positive effect on their company’s error culture.

Security awareness makes companies more secure

Finally, 92 percent of the survey participants denied that the same level of IT security could be maintained in the company if the existing funds and resources were invested exclusively in technical security measures, such as firewalls and virus scanners.

“At Lucy Security, internal analyses have shown that correctly implemented awareness programs make a company up to ten times more secure,” says Palo Stacho. “But the benefits of cybersecurity awareness go far beyond fewer security incidents and better trained employees. The trainings and increased attention to IT security also have a positive effect on the corporate culture.”