London-based email and data security company Mimecast has launched a month-long global initiative to highlight the value of combining awareness training with cyber resilience strategies in reducing the risk of data breaches and lost productivity.

The firm will use Cyber Security Awareness Month to introduce IT decision makers to its newest offering, Mimecast Awareness Training.

Mimecast GM Michael Madon.

“Employees need compelling reasons to care about security and become more resilient against preventable threats,” said Mimecast GM Michael Madon. “Finding creative ways to offer cyber resilience training guidance breaks through the passive resistance most employees have to training. Meanwhile, security teams should be better armed with the ability to predict risks that tie threat prediction to both training and real-world incidence data.”

Mimecast, which snapped up Ataata in July, said its new training scheme was designed to dramatically lessen the risk of cyber breaches by changing the behaviour and security habits of employees at scale.

The service features memorable training content, risk scoring and real-world simulation attack scenarios, with training topics such as ransomware, phishing, wire fraud, password hygiene, PCI compliance, HIPAA and GDPR.

According to Mimecast’s State of Email Security 2018 Report, 90 percent of organisations have seen phishing attacks increase or stay the same over the last year, yet only 11 percent of respondents continuously train employees on how to spot cyberattacks.

Mimecast’s month-long cybersecurity awareness initiative includes the participation in:

  • Security Serious Week – an industry-wide initiative to garner security advice and best practice featuring a flashmob meet-up and the Security Serious Unsung Heroes Awards. (October 1-5)
  • IP Expo Europe, London – training demos and educational seminars:
    • Let’s Build a Wall: A Human Firewall, Hiwot Mendahun – Cyber Threat Protection Theatre (October 3, 14:20 – 14:50)
    • Evolving Security Analysis: Combining Human and Cyber Threat Intelligence, Derek Buchanan + Kirsty Kelly – Cyber Threat Protection Theatre (October 4, 11:00 – 11:30)
  • it-sa – Nuremburg, Germany (October 9-11)– 3D Email Security Risk Assessment ‘car wash’
  • GITEX – Dubai, UAE (October 14-18) – visitors will learn how they can improve their defences by measuring cyber risk training effectiveness and converting behaviour observations into actionable risk metrics
  • National Cyber Security Alliance panel – NASDAQ, New York City, US -– (October 16) Michael Madon will speak out on human error in the workplace and how cybersecurity should be a priority for everyone in the workplace
  • Stay Safe Online initiatives in Australia (October 8-14)
  • AISA Think Tank in Australia (October 9) – Garrett O’Hara will be leading a discussion on cyber resilience with delegates at the Australian Cyber Conference.
  • Social media education campaign – Cyber Resilience Insights blog featuring a free Awareness Training kit