Cybercriminals not only exploit technical vulnerabilities but increasingly take advantage of the human element of firms to access private information. For this reason, people themselves are often a major security risk and a key reason for data breaches.

This makes adopting and maintaining a robust security culture a critical part of any company’s cybersecurity measures. Here, we’ll explore what security culture is and how it can help businesses remain protected from unfortunate incidents like data leaks, ransomware attacks and other forms of infiltration.

What does “security culture” mean?

The term “security culture” encompasses a set of shared attitudes, conceptions, values, knowledge, understanding and actions of both groups and individuals within an organisation, focusing on promoting security for the company. Security culture defines staff values and how they impact the way they think and react in terms of safety and risk, and because of this it can have a powerful impact on how employees work, and can influence their actions on a day-to-day basis.

What is an effective security culture?

For a security culture to work, all members of an organisation or enterprise must be aware of the potential risks and possess the knowledge and intention to help reduce these threats through their personal actions. Staff being security conscious is an asset for any business, but an effective security culture will see both employers and their personnel adopt ways of working that prioritise operating securely. An indicator that a business has a working security culture is when management place importance on security and handle issues arising at all levels of operation.

Reducing risks of data breaches

Forensic investigations, systems downtime, leak mitigation, data regulator fines and loss of reputation are just some of the heavy costs companies who experience a data breach can face. Establishing an effective security culture can minimise incidents and the costly consequences that follow. Rather than having to clean up after a leak occurs, avoiding data breaches in the first place with robust protocols in place and security-aware staff is a more preferable approach.

How can your security culture be improved?

To create an effective security culture, actions and attitudes must be fine-tuned. Organisations must first acknowledge that cybersecurity culture is business-critical, and not simply an isolated issue for the IT department to manage. Security should always be seen by businesses as a positive force and one that enables work not hinders it.

Staff should understand a clear line of reporting when suspicious activity occurs and never be made to feel awkward for raising an alarm. Phishing tests can be conducted that assess staff reactions to attacks. Upper management should be included in these workshops as they are often prized targets of hackers, as they have access to more sensitive content.

Strong support for your security

The secure workspace from Galaxkey offers enterprises the perfect platform upon which to build a security culture. From cutting-edge encryption to the latest security tools for email and document transfer, your teams will be well protected. Contact us today for a free 14-day trial.