Security awareness training is increasingly “surrounded by uncharacteristic instructions,” hindering meaningful end-user behavioral change.
With this in mind, the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) is exploring humor as a tool to make training more effective.
Security teams still tend to design content-focused training sessions, forgetting that the recipient is human, said Lisa Plaggemier, executive director of the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA). said in a presentation on the second day of the RSA Conference.
To effectively engage, she added, one must arouse emotion in the subject.
Plaggemeier and her co-speaker, Jenny Brinkley, director of Amazon Security, said that using humor and including an element of the unexpected are key to making cognitive training effective and memorable. I emphasized that there is
They also highlighted United Airlines safety videos for airline passengers as an effective training campaign using these approaches.
With this in mind, the NCA will soon release a cyber awareness training comedy series that teaches audiences lessons with humor.
Plaggemeier and Brinkley set out four actionable steps for security teams to improve their awareness training sessions.
- Brainstorm with staff across the company to understand their preferences
- Get inspiration from sources outside your organization
- Relevant to the employee’s experience in business
- Start small – for example, hire a freelance graphic designer
- Be prepared for users to hate training. But don’t throw away your work because of that.
Amazon’s approach
talk Information securityBrinkley also emphasized the importance of inclusivity and representation in awareness training content. I’m here.
Areas to consider include ensuring that different languages are used and that all types of accessibility needs are met.
In terms of content, they want “various scenarios relevant to audiences around the world.” This should also take into account cultural differences.
“Some countries are very afraid to report anything when an incident occurs. says Mr.
Brinkley added that the growth of AI and machine learning technologies is a major focus of Amazon’s awareness training, an area of particular importance given the rise of ChatGPT.
“Our core fundamentals have always invested in these spaces, providing guardrails and recommendations to builders on how to safely use this technology without stifling innovation,” she said. Added.
Another key aspect of Amazon’s awareness training is that, starting May 1, employees will be required to be back in the office at least three days a week, following the tech giant’s announcement that if they are in their physical workplace, security behavioral considerations.
Brinkley said many workers have not returned to the office since the COVID-19 pandemic began, requiring caution about safe behavior in public environments.
“I think we relaxed a little more during the pandemic,” she noted.
Reminders to give staff include not leaving laptops unattended without privacy screens when away from their desks, and using badges correctly to enter physical office spaces.
