Creating a Positive Cybersecurity Culture

Effectively Change Behavior

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In today’s world, with a new data breach or major hack in the headlines every week, organizations are more aware than ever before that cybersecurity is a problem that requires attention. The need for digital transformation has also never been greater, leading organizations to adopt and implement new technologies and processes. As the pace of digital transformation accelerates for organizations, cybersecurity becomes more critical to their overall strategy. With the countless technology-focused cybersecurity solutions available, organizations are leveraging technology to reduce the likelihood of a breach. But even though these investments are being made, cybersecurity is not just a technical problem.

Did You Know 77% of users who click on a phish do so within 24 hours of it arriving in their inbox. (1)

Solving cybersecurity by fixing vulnerabilities is enticing. Technology can help organizations protect critical information, but when the technology can no longer be easily used, it can start to harm the business. Adding cumbersome steps for employees to use required systems can cause tensions, or creative workarounds that can lead to unintended vulnerabilities.


Even when technology is frictionless, the software solutions are created reactively as it's difficult to predict the new threats that hackers will deploy. As a result, threats such as phishing emails will continue to reach employees' inboxes and the chance for an employee to click one of these emails remains.

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Instead of focusing solely on technology and on eliminating the threat, investments need to be made into upskilling employees. When they are empowered, the impact of threats can be reduced even further. The goal, therefore, must be to make cybersecurity a pan-organization objective.

Plan Your Cybersecurity Program

A successful cybersecurity program comes from organization-wide adoption. As you plan for your cybersecurity program, here are some tips on how you can empower your employees to work in new ways.

Leadership Coalition

Change starts with leaders who have a strong vision. As an executive, you can lead by example and show how your cybersecurity strategy ties into your view of the organization’s strategy.

All Hands On Deck

Encourage regular company wide and team-based discussions that reinforce positive cyber behaviors and reiterate what they are. Highlight the important role that employees play and celebrate their successes, big or small.

Foster Trust

Cybersecurity can be complicated, and your organization and your employees may not always get it right. Acknowledge that it is a work in progress and that mistakes may occur. Foster trust so that people feel comfortable speaking up about their mistakes and are willing to provide feedback on your cybersecurity program.

Launch Your Training Program

Cybersecurity training programs can help to support and upskill employees as they learn new digital skills that will improve the organization’s cyber-resiliency. A recent review of cybersecurity training programs resulted in the following recommendations.

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Start the training with a “kick-off” course:

These have been shown to have the highest short-term training effect. Build cyber-resiliency as of day one by ensuring employees have a good cybersecurity foundation.

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Schedule ongoing training:

With an optimistic view of knowledge retention, training should be conducted every 5 months.

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Begin randomized and personalized embedded training:

Sending scheduled phishes to employees has been proven to make them less susceptible to real phishing attempts. Send remediation training when phishing simulations are clicked or ignored.

Measure Your Program’s Success

At Beauceron Security, our mission is to change the conversation about awareness and towards empowering people to feel in control of the technology they use and rely on every day. Beauceron’s cloud-based Platform enables organizations and individuals to change risky cyber behaviors. The Platform engages users, encourages learning, and helps them to recognize their role in cybersecurity. It helps organizations create and sustain positive security cultures. Using the Platform, organizations have decreased their click rate and ignore rate by 85% and 11% respectively and increased their report rate by 99% over a 90-day period. After 2 years, continued behavior change was evidenced by a decrease in click and ignore rates of 90% and 37% respectively, and an increase in report rates of 285%.

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Measurable, Automated, Behavior Change

Your journey to better cyber awareness starts today! You are welcome to visit, call or contact us for more information on our positive approach to reducing cyber risk and learning how your teams can care more about cybersecurity.

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