Blog / Computer Education is Essential… And IT Security Knowledge is Also Fundamental.
Something every Security Expert recommends that businesses do is to train all their staff on IT Security. The two points that should jump out in that sentence are ‘every Security Expert’ and ‘all their staff.’ When you look into the root cause for most Information Breaches or Ransomware infections, they happened because someone did something a bit silly:
– Enabled Macros in an office document attached to an email.
– Clicked a link.
– Used CC instead of BCC.
The list goes on. At the end of the day, a lot of these things happened because the user didn’t pick up any of the warning signs.
Now there are some very sophisticated and detailed Phishing scams out there; at the same time, most of them really aren’t that good. The majority of ways that people use to trick users into doing something they shouldn’t, are very generic. This is intentional because the attackers are trying to trick as many people as possible, in order to maximize their own payout.
The thing about those sophisticated attacks is that they are targeted. The attacker is spending time and effort to tailor their attack to a specific organization or individual. In those situations, there’s really no point relying on any automatic defense… it’s just you and them.
The point is computers are everywhere. Regardless of what profession you’re in, there’s no excuse not to learn about them. Own a car? That’s a computer, and a pretty complicated one at that. How about a home appliance like a fridge or stove? Computers. Washer/dryer? Yep; computers. So, get out there and learn about them, even at a basic level.
You can learn about them anywhere. You don’t need to spend money and take a class (although if you want to, that’s fine too.) There are plenty of free courses available online. Just do a Google Search like “free online basic computer courses”, and away you go.
From an employer’s angle, make sure your employees have good essential computer skills. This means personally coaching or providing the required training for them. That’s what any and every IT Security person will say, but that’s also a hard thing to do. Your organization should actively look for such sorts of online resources and make them available to your staff (and don’t forget to take them yourself.)
Get used to asking computer-related questions in a job interview. Even if the job doesn’t have a lot to do with computers. “Do you know how to use Microsoft office? How did you learn? Are you self-taught?” Look for people who do things like take courses online to educate themselves (not just for certifications.)
A line from Macbeth seems appropriate here: “Can such things be / And overcome us like a summer’s cloud, / Without our special wonder?” (Act III, Scene IV)
If you have any questions about IT Training, please reach out to your TRINUS Account Manager for some stress-free IT.
By Kind Courtesy of Your Friendly Neighbourhood Cyber-Man.
