Tips for Navigating the Security Awareness Training Program Development Landscape

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Keep These Points in Mind to Find the Solution That’s Right for Your Needs

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Security and compliance awareness training is one of the smartest investments an organization can make to bolster its information security and its defense against cyberattacks. Corporate IT networks saw an estimated 50% more cyberattacks in 2021 than they did in 2020. That’s 50% more chances that a business could fall victim to a cyberattack with the potential to drive a company out of business. At the same time, compliance with data privacy and security regulations like CMMC, PIPEDA and HIPAA has become more complex and the penalties for non-compliance more expensive. Making an investment in security and compliance awareness training has never been more essential for a company’s success. But in a crowded landscape, it can be challenging to find the right solution. These tips can shine a light on the features and benefits that you need to find the perfect fit.

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Excerpted in part from The Security Awareness Training Buyer’s Guide for Businesses. DOWNLOAD IT>>

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Which Category of Training Should I Choose? 

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Determining what category of training (or combination of training categories) best serves your users and your organization is a core part of building a security awareness training program. The U.S. National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) breaks employee training around security into three knowledge categories based on what the training is set to accomplish.  

Knowledge Categories 

Awareness – the ability of the user to recognize or avoid behaviors that would compromise cybersecurity 

Training – the action provided to a user in the acquisition of security knowledge, skills, and competencies 

Education – knowledge or skill obtained or developed by the learning process 

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Which Type of Training Delivery Fits My Needs? 

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There are two main types of training that you’ll encounter, online or in-person. Which style is best for your organization can be influenced by a number of factors including support for remote workers, geography, language options and other considerations. Online training is the most common style that companies use because of its flexibility and ease of program administration. An estimated  90% of companies use eLearning for employee training.  It’s also extremely cost-effective. Microsoft discovered that when it switched its employees from in-person to eLearning for training, their training costs plummeted, going from $320/hour to just $17/hour. A saving of almost 95%. 

After determining how you’ll deliver training, you’ll need to consider the format of the training. A combination of formats may be the winner for you. 

Common Training Formats 

Video -Teach employees about security and compliance using short educational videos that are often accompanied by quizzes to measure retention. 83% of learners prefer video content. 

Interactive/Games – Use interactive exercises or game-like tools to deliver knowledge and awareness.  

Email/Newsletter – Publish an internal round up of important security policies as well as security and compliance tips.  

In-Office Visuals – Posters, flyers, signs and similar tools outlining security policies, procedures and tips around the office or in areas where employees congregate. 

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The In-House vs. Outsourcing Dilemma 

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It’s also important to decide if your training will be developed and delivered by in-house IT personnel or if you’ll be utilizing a training solution. The answers to these questions might provide clarity.  

• Who has the skills to architect and guide the program?  
• Can the learning materials really be developed in-house? 
• Who has the bandwidth to handle this project?   
• How will implementation work? 
• How much funding do you have for the program? 

Creating a security and compliance awareness training program in-house can be appealing. At first glance, handling everything in-house looks like it would be cheaper as well as an easy way to ensure that employees are receiving training that is designed to cover the risks that they face daily. Plus, you’ll already be adding infrastructure and responsibility to administrate a training program. It can’t be too hard for the folks running the program to pull some lessons off the web or write them up themselves, right?  

Wrong. You’re not just adding a few more tasks to someone’s list when you choose to design and administrate a cybersecurity training program in-house. SANS research shows that the employees typically tasked with running and designing security awareness training programs are also the most experienced and knowledgeable security staffers. Those staffers often wear many hats and have little time for the job. Even if a company does hire a specialist, they’re often tasked with other IT jobs too. SANS determined that more than 69% of security awareness professionals actually spend less than half of their working hours on security awareness training-related priorities. 

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Look for Robust Support and Innovation 

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Thoughtful development and design can make all the difference in a solution’s suitability for your organization as well as your satisfaction. Look for these green flags that indicate a high level of both support and innovation. 

• Onboarding to get you up and running with the platform  
• Helpful how-to video tutorials inside the product to help administrators become power users and make the most out of the platform 
• Detailed guides, FAQs and articles to help you along the way, like a whitelisting guide to ensure the delivery of phishing simulation emails 
• Constant evolution to improve performance and UI, with new features and enhancements introduced often  
• Communication that ensures you are kept informed about new features, offerings and innovation via email, customer newsletter or regular webinars 
• An online community of customers to exchange ideas and best practices with  
• A place to submit product improvement ideas and provide feedback 

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Don’t Spend More Than Necessary 

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Yes, you can find a security and compliance awareness training solution that includes everything you need to succeed without blowing up your budget. Keep these considerations in mind when looking at the value and feasibility of a solution for you.   

• Do you really need all the bells and whistles you’re paying for? If you don’t need an option like training content in multiple languages, don’t pay for it! 
• Learn the nuances of the seat purchasing requirements up front to ensure that you have room to maneuver if your organization’s needs change. Does the initial seat minimum you have to purchase fit your needs? When you grow and need to add seats, will you be forced to add them in large increments and pay for the seats you don’t need?  
• Are there hidden charges for must-have features and add-ons that inflate the low advertised price? Be sure to ask for a detailed quote that covers everything you’re looking for and every add-on or option you’re buying. Take time to understand what is and isn’t included and avoid unpleasant surprises later. 

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Train Your Way with the Flexible Options Available with BullPhish ID 

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No two organizations are the same, so why use a training solution that doesn’t make it easy to customize your program to fit your organization’s needs? BullPhish ID is the ideal security, compliance and phishing awareness training solution for every company because its many customization options enable you to train your way.   

With BullPhish ID you can:   

• Gain access to a large library of training videos that you can choose from to create the right curriculum for your users.   
• Simplify compliance training with video lessons that make complex requirements easy to understand.   
• Choose from plug-and-play phishing simulation kits or customizable content that can be tailored to fit your industry’s unique threats.   
• Be confident that you’re educating employees about the latest threats or compliance requirements, with at least four new training videos and fresh phishing kits added every month.   
• Training videos are available in eight languages: English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Iberian/European) and Spanish (Latin).   
• Leverage in-lesson quizzes and simple, easy-to-read reports to see the value of training and know who needs additional support.    
• Simplify the training process and make it convenient for every employee with a personalized user portal.    
• Automatically generate and send reports to stakeholders.   

Want to learn more about security awareness training and how BullPhish ID can help secure your company and save you money? Explore the benefits of training with BullPhish ID today.   

Or, book a demo and see BullPhish ID in action! 

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