We want to provide some cybersecurity training to our employees. Is there one particular group of employees that needs the training more than others?
Every employee needs cybersecurity training. Obviously, certain departments (i.e., human resources, IT, finance) are targeted by cybercriminals more than other departments, but every employee presents a target.
One study sheds light that age may play a part as to which employees present the greatest risk. According to research from Last Pass, 69 percent of Gen Z use some variation of the same password for most accounts, and Gen Z employees are the most confident about their password management. https://www.technologydecisions.com.au/content/security/news/gen-z-most-overconfident-in-password-security-1275024746
So, according to this study, Gen Z has the worst password habits, but believe they have the best.
By no means is everyone else a cyber safety superhero. According to the same survey, 62 percent of all respondents, no matter their ages, admit using the same password or variant of the same password for multiple accounts.
The takeaway is every employee needs cybersecurity training, no matter their age or department. Some departments may need more training than others, but everyone should be required to be trained.
Jack McCalmon, Leslie Zieren, and Emily Brodzinski are attorneys with more than 50 years combined experience assisting employers in lowering their risk, including answering questions, like the one above, through the McCalmon Group's Best Practices Help Line. The Best Practice Help Line is a service of The McCalmon Group, Inc. Your organization may have access to The Best Practice Help Line or a similar service from another provider at no cost to you or at a discount. For questions about The Best Practice Help Line or what similar services are available to you via this Platform, call 888.712.7667.
If you have a question that you would like Jack McCalmon, Leslie Zieren, or Emily Brodzinski to consider for this column, please submit it to ask@mccalmon.com. Please note that The McCalmon Group cannot guarantee that your question will be answered. Answers are based on generally accepted risk management best practices. They are not, and should not be considered, legal advice. If you need an answer immediately or desire legal advice, please call your local legal counsel.
