The below bullets summarize this post.

• Security awareness training is a crucial part of a comprehensive cybersecurity program, as it educates employees on identifying and preventing cyber threats.
• The frequency of security awareness training depends on factors such as organization size, infrastructure complexity, and business nature.
• It is recommended that organizations conduct annual security awareness training at a minimum, with quarterly or monthly training for high-risk or critical infrastructure organizations.
• Ongoing training and education are necessary to stay ahead of evolving cyber threats and keep data and systems secure.
• Haekka's Slack-first approach offers continuous drip security awareness training that is tied to current news and events, enabling organizations to build a security culture and minimize the risk of successful psychological or social engineering attacks.

Security breaches and cyber attacks are super common today. As a result, it is critical for organizations to invest in their cybersecurity and ensure that their employees are well-informed and prepared to prevent cyber threats. One thing that is often missed is the human side of securty, what companies increasingly refer to as human risk. One way to mitigate this risk is through security awareness training.

Security awareness training is a critical component of any comprehensive cybersecurity program. Its goal is to educate employees on best practices for identifying and preventing cybersecurity threats. The other, often unrealized, goal is to build a security mindset and ensure employees stay vigilant to the constant threat of social engineering scams. But how often should you do security awareness training?

The frequency of security awareness training will depend on a variety of factors, including the size of your organization, the complexity of your infrastructure, and the nature of your business. However, there are some general guidelines that can help you determine how often to conduct different types of security and security awareness training.

Annual Training is a Must

At a minimum, it is recommended that organizations conduct security awareness training once a year. This ensures that employees are up-to-date on the latest threats, and it gives them a refresher on best practices for keeping data and systems secure.  This checks the box for most audits like SOC 2 and HIPAA.

Quarterly Training for High-Risk Organizations

If your organization is considered high-risk, such as financial institutions, healthcare providers, or government agencies, it is a good idea to conduct some form of security awareness training quarterly. This will help to keep employees informed and vigilant about potential threats.

Monthly Training for Critical Infrastructure

For organizations that operate critical infrastructure, such as power plants or transportation systems, monthly security awareness training is recommended. These organizations are often targeted by sophisticated cyber attacks and require more frequent training to ensure that employees are prepared to identify and respond to threats.

Ongoing Training for Everyone

Regardless of the frequency of your security awareness training, it is important to remember that cybersecurity threats are constantly evolving. It is therefore important to provide ongoing training and education to employees. This can be achieved through regular reminders, updates on the latest threats, and ongoing communication about best practices for keeping data and systems secure. Most security awareness vendors like KnowBe4 offer monthly forms of security awareness training. These are often topical.

Continuous Drip Security Awareness Training in Slack

At Haekka, we believe that continuous security engagement is required to build a security culture and to minimize the risk of successful psychological or social engineering attacks. Our Slack-first approach is intentionally designed to enable this. Haekka users get regular, weekly chat-based micro content that is tied to current news and events. This approach ensure security is top of mind and that the content is relatable.

----Security awareness training is a critical component of any comprehensive cybersecurity program. The frequency of training will depend on the size and complexity of your organization, as well as the nature of your business. However, at a minimum, it is recommended to conduct training once a year, with quarterly or monthly training for high-risk or critical infrastructure organizations. With ongoing training and education, organizations can stay ahead of the evolving cyber threat landscape and keep their data and systems secure.

If you want to see what a truly continuous approach to security awareness looks like, check out Haekka in Slack.

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