Technology plays an important role in protecting a business, but many cyber attacks still depend on getting an employee to take an unsafe action.
An attacker may try to convince someone to click a link, reveal credentials, approve an unexpected MFA request, change payment information, open an attachment, or provide access to a system.
That is why employee cybersecurity training should be treated as part of the organization’s overall security program rather than a once-a-year compliance exercise.
NIST recommends regularly providing cybersecurity training to both new and existing employees and tailoring that training to the systems, job responsibilities, and work environments employees actually use.
Here are several cybersecurity best practices employees should understand.
1. Teach Employees How to Recognize Phishing and Social Engineering
Phishing remains one of the most common ways attackers try to gain access to business systems and information.
Modern phishing messages may arrive through:
- email,
- text messages,
- collaboration platforms,
- social media,
- phone calls,
- or other communication channels.
They may impersonate:
- executives,
- coworkers,
- vendors,
- customers,
- banks,
- Microsoft or other technology providers,
- or IT support personnel.
NIST warns that artificial intelligence can now make phishing messages more convincing, which makes it increasingly important for employees to recognize suspicious requests rather than relying only on spelling mistakes or poor formatting as warning signs.
Employees should be trained to watch for:
- unusual urgency,
- unexpected requests for passwords or sensitive information,
- unfamiliar links or attachments,
- payment or banking changes,
- unexpected MFA prompts,
- requests to bypass normal procedures,
- and communications that do not match the sender’s normal behavior.
Our guide to 5 Examples of Social Engineering Attacks provides practical examples of the techniques attackers use to manipulate employees.
Reporting is just as important as recognition
Employees should also know exactly what to do when they receive something suspicious.
NIST recommends teaching employees both how to recognize phishing and how to report it when they believe they may have been targeted.
The reporting process should be simple enough that employees do not hesitate to use it.
2. Use Strong, Unique Passwords and Multi-Factor Authentication
Passwords are still important, but passwords alone should not be the primary defense for sensitive business accounts.
Employees should use:
- long, unique passwords,
- different passwords for different services,
- an approved password manager when appropriate,
- and multi-factor authentication wherever it is available.
NIST recommends strong passwords, password managers, and MFA as foundational cybersecurity practices for small businesses.
Avoid routine password reuse
Employees should not reuse the same password across multiple business or personal accounts.
If one service is compromised, a reused password may give an attacker access to additional systems.
Password managers can make it easier to maintain unique credentials without expecting employees to memorize every password.
MFA adds another layer
Multi-factor authentication requires an additional verification step beyond a password.
If a password is stolen, MFA can make it significantly harder for an attacker to access the account.
If your organization uses Microsoft 365, see our guide on how to activate MFA for Microsoft 365.
Employees should also understand that an unexpected MFA approval request can itself be a warning sign. If they receive a prompt they did not initiate, they should deny it and report it.
3. Keep Devices, Applications, and Software Updated
Employees may not be responsible for managing every software update themselves, but they should understand why updates matter.
Attackers frequently take advantage of known vulnerabilities in:
- operating systems,
- browsers,
- business applications,
- mobile devices,
- network equipment,
- and other connected technology.
NIST recommends updating and patching software when new versions are available as part of basic cybersecurity hygiene.
Employees should know that they should not:
- repeatedly postpone required security updates,
- disable security software,
- install unapproved applications,
- or connect unsupported devices without authorization.
Businesses should centrally manage patching whenever possible rather than relying entirely on individual users to keep systems current.
4. Establish Clear Cybersecurity Policies and Reporting Procedures
Training is more effective when employees know what is expected of them.
A cybersecurity policy should establish practical rules for how employees use business technology and handle sensitive information.
Depending on the organization, policies may address:
- password and MFA requirements,
- acceptable use of company devices,
- remote access,
- email and Internet use,
- software installation,
- removable media,
- confidential information,
- payment-change verification,
- vendor access,
- incident reporting,
- and use of personal devices.
The goal is not to create a policy that employees never read.
The goal is to establish clear procedures that can be followed during normal business activity.
Employees should know how to report a problem
Every employee should know who to contact if they:
- click a suspicious link,
- enter credentials on a questionable page,
- receive an unexpected MFA prompt,
- lose a company device,
- receive an unusual financial request,
- or notice activity that does not look normal.
Fast reporting can give the IT or security team more time to respond before a small mistake becomes a larger incident.
5. Train Employees Regularly, Not Just Once a Year
Cybersecurity awareness should not end after onboarding or an annual training session.
Threats change, employees change roles, and business processes evolve.
NIST recommends regular cybersecurity training and notes that awareness activities can include workshops, leadership communications, exercises, and other recurring activities throughout the year.
A practical program may include:
- onboarding training,
- short refresher sessions,
- phishing simulations,
- security reminders,
- real-world examples,
- role-specific training,
- and periodic discussions about new threats.
Training does not have to be lengthy to be useful.
Short, relevant reminders delivered throughout the year can reinforce good habits without overwhelming employees.
Our article on common mistakes that can sabotage employee cybersecurity training explains why training can lose effectiveness when it becomes outdated, overly generic, punitive, or focused only on completion.
6. Teach Employees to Verify Unusual Requests
Some attacks are difficult to identify because the attacker has researched the organization and knows how the business normally operates.
An employee may receive a message that appears to come from:
- the company owner,
- a manager,
- accounting,
- a customer,
- or a familiar vendor.
The request may look legitimate but ask the employee to do something unusual, such as:
- change banking information,
- send a wire transfer,
- reset a password,
- purchase gift cards,
- share sensitive data,
- or provide remote access.
Employees should be trained to verify unusual or high-risk requests through a second trusted communication method.
For example, if a vendor emails new banking instructions, the employee should verify the change using a phone number already on file rather than one contained in the email.
NIST similarly recommends verifying suspicious requests using known contact information rather than relying on the contact details in the questionable message.
This is becoming even more important as AI-generated email, voice, and other forms of impersonation become more convincing.
7. Measure Whether Training Is Changing Behavior
A completed training course does not necessarily mean employees are better prepared.
Businesses should look beyond completion rates and evaluate whether employee behavior is improving.
Useful questions include:
- Are employees reporting suspicious messages?
- Are phishing-simulation results improving?
- Do employees know how to report an incident?
- Are repeated risky behaviors decreasing?
- Are managers reinforcing security procedures?
- Are high-risk departments receiving additional training when needed?
The purpose of cybersecurity training is not simply to prove that training occurred.
It is to create safer habits.
Cybersecurity Training Works Best With Technical Controls
Employees should not be expected to identify every sophisticated cyber attack perfectly.
Training is most effective when it is supported by technical safeguards such as:
- MFA,
- email filtering,
- endpoint protection,
- patch management,
- restricted administrative privileges,
- secure backups,
- monitoring,
- and access controls.
If a phishing message reaches an employee, training may help the employee recognize it.
If the employee makes a mistake, MFA, endpoint protection, monitoring, and other controls should provide additional layers of defense.
That is why employee awareness should be part of a broader cybersecurity strategy rather than treated as a standalone solution.
Businesses that need help coordinating employee awareness with identity protection, endpoint security, email protection, monitoring, and other safeguards can learn more about our Managed Security Services.
Cybersecurity Training and Cyber Insurance
Employee security awareness may also come up during cyber-insurance applications and renewals.
Questionnaires may ask about controls such as:
- cybersecurity awareness training,
- phishing simulations,
- MFA,
- endpoint security,
- backups,
- email protection,
- and incident-response procedures.
For manufacturers, our Manufacturing Cyber Insurance Guide explains how employee awareness fits into the broader cybersecurity controls commonly considered during the cyber-insurance process.
Employees Should Be Part of the Security Strategy
Cybersecurity is not solely an IT responsibility.
Employees interact with email, cloud applications, vendors, financial systems, customer information, production systems, and other technology every day.
A strong training program helps employees understand:
- what suspicious activity looks like,
- how to protect credentials,
- when to slow down and verify a request,
- what policies they are expected to follow,
- and how to report a possible problem quickly.
The strongest approach combines trained employees, clear processes, and technical security controls so that one convincing message or employee mistake does not automatically become a major security incident.
For additional guidance, NIST’s Small Business Cybersecurity Corner provides current recommendations on MFA, passwords, patching, phishing protection, backups, and employee cybersecurity awareness.
