Yes, we know IT security is not the sexiest of subjects, but it is a hot topic (or at least it should be).  

You should be having regular conversations with your teams about IT security issues. 

“But”, we hear you say, “it won’t interest them, and we don’t want a meeting that people dread attending”. 

So, how do you make the subject of security something that everyone wants to talk about?  

How about asking staff to share stories that they’ve heard about? It’s astounding how many of us know a family member or friend that has been scammed and ended up losing out financially. Whilst we often associate these types of stories with individuals, the workplace is also a target. Here at Net Primates we hear about security breaches happening locally on a weekly basis… 

A recent government survey showed that 75% of staff receive fraudulent emails. It’s through these emails that security breaches can occur! Reinforcing alarming statistics like this will illustrate why it’s important for security procedures to be followed. 

And make sure that your teams understand the consequences to the business if security is not upheld. As an example, organisations can take large financial hits if security breaches occur.  

Now, you’ve reinforced the pain that your organisation could face if a security breach occurs. It’s now time to demonstrate how that pain can be avoided and then show gains that can be achieved for the company and individuals if all goes well…  

  • Provide teams with all the knowledge they need to avoid being scammed. Have ‘IT Security’ as an agenda item during regular team meetings. Back this up with email messages, intranet pages and posters to spread the word. 
  • Make sure staff have sufficient time in their working day to learn about IT security issues and carry out any necessary tasks. 
  • Establish a security policy that it widely publicised and reinforced. As an example, if all passwords need to be changed on a regular basis, make sure that this is something that EVERYONE does routinely. 

And now for the gains… 

Try and make it fun! Yes, this may be a bit of a longshot but anything is possible with a bit of imagination. Offer incentives to staff that follow all security protocols. And how about offering rewards to those that are ultra-vigilant and who highlight areas where your organisation could improve? 

Ultimately, it’s vital that everyone within an organisation understands why IT security is essential. Carried out correctly it needn’t dominate a business, but it MUST be something that’s given regular, consistent air time. Because, when things go wrong, security breaches can dominate a business, for all the wrong reasons! 

For more information on the types of security breaches that can occur and how to avoid them contact us here at Net Primates. 

https://www.netprimates.com/contact

Published November 2019