What are the most effective ways to test your security awareness program?

From experience, Phishing simulations have been the most effective. It is also commonly used. It equally tests the alertness of staff members.

Effective ways to test a security awareness program include phishing simulations, social engineering tests, online security quizzes, simulated cyberattacks, tabletop exercises, vulnerability scanning, incident reporting and response assessments, awareness surveys, real-life scenario discussions, continuous monitoring, and performance metrics. These methods help evaluate employee preparedness to identify and respond to security threats.

Conduct realistic simulations to assess employees ability to identify phishing attempts and respond to social engineering tactics. Tailor training based on the results to strengthen resilience against cyber threats. Observe daily security practices to identify common behaviors that may pose risks. Use these insights to address specific vulnerabilities in employee actions, enhancing overall security posture. Facilitate focus group discussions to gain insights into employee attitudes and perceptions regarding security policies. Use feedback to refine the awareness program, ensuring alignment with employee concerns and enhancing engagement.

We just wrapped up the Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October and it is required that stakeholders collaborate and test the effectiveness of all the implemented cybersecurity awareness initiatives. Here are few ways: 1.Phishing simulations and social engineering tests. 2. Security quizzes and tabletop exercises 3. Simulated cyberattacks and real-life scenarios 4. Vulnerability scanning

Security should be by design. Not an afterthought. It's a critical process in my daily work with CISOs and cybersecurity heads. By understanding their respective organization's current awareness levels, behaviours, and culture, a CISO can effectively tailor the baseline assessment program to address specific vulnerabilities and ensure measurable progress. This initial benchmarking sets the stage for a more robust and targeted cybersecurity strategy.

Ensure the effectiveness of your program by conducting regular and varied phishing simulations. Rotate the tactics, such as email content, spoofed sender addresses, and types of lures, to keep employees vigilant against evolving phishing techniques. This ongoing testing creates a dynamic and proactive security culture, fostering continuous improvement in identifying and preventing phishing threats.

From my experience, testing your security awareness program is a breeze with phishing simulations! It's like a friendly fire drill for your team. Conduct controlled exercises mimicking real phishing attacks to see how your employees respond. Use tools to track, analyze, and provide feedback. It's a hands-on approach that turns security training into a proactive and engaging experience!

Com o avan?o das amea?as, a equipe de conscientiza??o deve considerar testar todas as varia??es de phishing (vishing, Quishing etc) possíveis. Atualmente o uso da IA tem dificultado muito a identifica??o de emails de phishing. Com isso, manter a postura de sempre suspeitar de emails n?o solicitados talvez passe a ser mais importante do que "antigas" red flags como erros gramaticais. Portanto as a??es de simula??o devem evoluir junto com os golpes aplicados para treinar os colaboradores as novas formas de ataques.

The best example I've ever seen. At a company I once worked at, in a bid to bolster their employees' cyber vigilance, a crafty phishing test was devised. The HR department collaborated with the cybersecurity team, including me, to create a convincingly deceptive email. It featured company logos and a captivating subject line, "Important: Upcoming Salary Raises." The email's content delved into intricate details of salary hikes, using industry-specific terms. A clickable link seemed to lead to a portal to accept these raises. After sending it to a select group of employees their responses were monitored. This naturally led to many clicks, raised awareness, and highlighted which areas training was needed in.

Phishing simulations are a litmus test for the practical application of security training. To enhance their effectiveness, these simulations should be crafted to mirror the sophistication of actual phishing attempts encountered in your industry. The trick is to strike a balance between simulations that are challenging enough to be realistic but not so daunting as to demoralize staff. Post-simulation debriefs are crucial, focusing on constructive feedback rather than reprimand. This approach encourages a learning environment, ensuring that each simulation becomes a stepping stone towards a more cyber-resilient workforce.

Regular knowledge checks, quizzes, or assessments on security best practices can help in evaluating employees' understanding of security policies and procedures.

Knowledge checks are integral in assessing the theoretical understanding of cybersecurity principles. However, the traditional quiz format can be limiting in scope and engagement. Integrating interactive elements like gamification can substantially increase engagement and retention of knowledge. Remember, the objective is not just to assess but also to reinforce learning. Therefore, aligning these checks with real-world examples and recent cyber incidents can provide context, making the knowledge more applicable and the learning process more impactful.

A practical example. I work with the CISO of a company which prioritized cybersecurity awareness after the Ukraine conflict began. They implemented knowledge checks, such as quizzes and interactive games, covering topics like password security and data protection. Through these checks, they uncovered knowledge gaps. However, what truly distinguished this company was its proactive response. Rather than seeing gaps as setbacks, they used the insights constructively. They customized training content to address the specific areas of weakness, bolstering the employees' defence against evolving cybersecurity threats. This underscores the importance of knowledge checks, guiding organizations to enhance security awareness effectively.

A behavior audit offers a pragmatic lens to view the actual application of cybersecurity training. This approach moves beyond theory into the realm of daily habits and practices. When conducting a behavior audit, it's essential to maintain a balance between surveillance and trust. Audits should be transparent, with a focus on education and improvement rather than punitive measures. Highlighting positive behaviors and providing incentives for secure practices can foster a proactive security culture more effectively than focusing solely on non-compliance.

Behaviour audits can be a great tool for assessing security awareness programs. While they can be effective, some Cyber executives I work with argue that they might cross boundaries when it comes to employee privacy. Behaviour audits involve monitoring various aspects of employees' actions, from compliance with security policies to online activities. However, the line between ensuring security and invading employees' privacy can be thin. What do you think? Are behaviour audits an effective means of enhancing security, or do they infringe upon individual privacy rights? Striking the right balance is crucial. Balancing security with respect for privacy is a challenging tightrope to walk in the world of cybersecurity.

Observing and assessing employees' actual security practices and behaviors in their day-to-day activities can provide valuable insights into their adherence to security protocols.

Surveys can offer valuable insights into employees' perceptions and attitudes, some argue that they might not always reflect the true level of security readiness. Getting all employees to actually do them is also an uphill battle. Culture surveys gauge awareness, confidence, motivation, responsibility, and trust regarding cybersecurity. However, they rely on subjective responses, which might not always align with the actual security practices within an organization. The controversy lies in whether these surveys accurately portray the cybersecurity culture or merely provide a snapshot of what employees think they should be doing. Striking the right balance between perception and reality in these surveys is vital for their effectiveness.

Na minha experiência a pesquisa de cultura contribui muito para avaliar a eficácia do programa de conscientiza??o, assim como direcionar qual caminho deve ser seguido no próximo ciclo de atualiza??o do plano. é muito útil ouvir a percep??o dos usuários sobre as formas de comunica??o, tipos de treinamentos e utiliza??o das ferramentas de seguran?a. Entender se sua mensagem está sendo recebida e compreendida. Outro importante retorno de uma pesquisa é perceber se a cultura da companhia está sendo influenciada pelo programa, com os usuários tendo consciência da sua responsabilidade e contribui??o para a seguran?a das informa??es da companhia.

Conducting a culture survey to gauge employees' perception of the organization's security culture and their attitudes toward security can help in identifying areas for improvement.

Establishing a feedback loop is an acknowledgment that cybersecurity awareness is a dynamic, evolving process. It represents a commitment to continuous improvement. This process should be structured to encourage open, honest communication and should be viewed as a two-way street, where management not only collects but also acts on the feedback received. This shows employees that their opinions are valued and that their contributions can directly influence the evolution of the cybersecurity culture.

Establishing a feedback mechanism where employees can report security incidents, share concerns, or provide suggestions for improvement can contribute to ongoing evaluation and refinement of the security awareness program.

Monitoring Incident Response: Effective security awareness programs should not only aim to prevent security incidents but also assess how well employees respond to them. Conducting simulated incident response drills, evaluating response times and incident reports' quality, offering follow-up training, and tracking real incidents and their outcomes can help organisations determine their employees' readiness to face security threats. This evaluation of incident response capabilities ensures that employees not only understand security best practices but can also apply them in real-life situations, ultimately enhancing an organisation's overall security resilience.

Love and support the idea of “what if” or “how do I” type sessions in multiple formats, all the time, everywhere, well articulated by one and only Stan K.

Security awareness is typically a continuous process with milestones that are measurable. 1) Time based activities - phishing tests, social engineering tests as well as penetration tests (single blind where defenders do not know). Security and IT Ops teams need awareness tested as well! 2) Road shows and education sessions at new hire orientation, town halls and random kiosk-type sessions. 3) Gamification and other incentives (depending on company culture) to engage with associates as education and awareness can get stale...need to keep it relevant as well as engaging.

Along with the usual stuff like phishing and red teams .. I would recommend gamifying security awareness assessments and presenting it in a fun / engaging manner. Teams can compete against each to find security weaknesses in a sandbox or even a video . This is a great to get people engaged and see how well they are aware of the actual policies then simple text based knowledge checks

We conduct annual cyber awareness training as well as administer level of knowledge exams quarterly. With that said, we usually start our periodic assessments with engaging the individuals directly with 'on the spot' scenarios to gauge their response actions. This can be an unauthorized individual in a classified space, a simulated attack on the network from off ship, or an electronic spillage that must be reported. All responses are noted and an after action debrief will be conducted with the leadership. They will take the feedback and development a POA&M to rectify any area of concern.