Staff Cyber Security Testing
Are Your Staff Up To Speed On Security?
Employee security testing is essential for protecting your business from various types of threats, including social engineering attacks. These attacks leverage human vulnerabilities rather than technological ones, tricking employees into giving away sensitive information or granting access to critical systems. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to test your employees for such security risks:
Risk Assessment:
- Begin with a thorough assessment of your employees’ exposure to social engineering risks.
- Examine their roles and the information they have access to.
- Identify those who are more likely to be targeted due to their job function.
Security Awareness Training:
- Provide comprehensive security awareness training to all employees.
- This should cover types of social engineering attacks (like phishing, pretexting, baiting, etc.) and how to recognize them.
- Ensure they understand the consequences of such attacks on the organization.
Simulated Social Engineering Attacks:
- Create a simulated social engineering attack scenario.
- You might send out fake phishing emails or have a member of the security team try to gain unauthorized access.
- The goal is to gauge how employees react to potential threats.
Knowledge Testing:
- After training sessions, conduct knowledge testing.
- Create tests or quizzes that challenge employees to apply what they’ve learned.
Red Teaming:
- Employ a ‘red team’—an internal or external group dedicated to challenging the organization’s defenses.
- They can use multiple social engineering tactics to test staff awareness and reaction to possible threats.
Email Security Testing:
- Conduct regular email security testing.
- Simulate phishing emails to test if your staff can identify and properly handle these threats.
- Track the rates of opened emails, clicked links, and whether the staff reported the incident.
Physical Security Tests:
- Carry out physical security tests to see how easy it is for someone to gain physical access to your premises.
- Tailgating, where an unauthorized person follows an employee into a secure area, is a common social engineering technique to be mindful of.
Behavior Analysis:
- Use behavior analysis to identify any unusual activity.
- If an employee behaves unusually, such as accessing systems at odd hours, they could be compromised.
Incident Reporting and Analysis:
- Encourage employees to report any suspicious activity or suspected social engineering attempts.
- Analyze these incidents to identify patterns or areas of vulnerability.
Continuous Education:
- Ensure continuous education on new and emerging threats.
- Social engineering tactics evolve, and so should your staff’s awareness.
Role-Based Testing:
- Conduct role-based testing where specific roles are targeted based on their access levels and responsibilities.
- This helps prepare employees for specific threats relevant to their position.
Feedback and Improvement:
- Provide feedback on the test results to the employees.
- Use this data to improve future training and awareness campaigns.
Policy Reviews:
- Regularly review and update security policies to reflect changes in the threat landscape.
- Ensure all staff are familiar with any changes to the policy.
Third-Party Testing:
- Employ a third-party to conduct security testing.
- An unbiased, external perspective can help uncover vulnerabilities that may be overlooked internally.
Mobile Device Testing:
- Conduct testing for mobile devices.
- Many employees use mobile devices for work, so it’s essential to test these devices for vulnerabilities to phishing or other forms of social engineering.
In conclusion, social engineering testing helps identify areas where your staff might be vulnerable to threats, empowering them with knowledge and strategies to prevent cyber attacks. This proactive approach can protect your company’s critical information and keep your operations secure.
