Dell SecureWorks adds two services to its security awareness training solutions portfolio

To enable aspects of both new services, Dell SecureWorks has collaborated with Wombat Security Technologies, a leading provider of information security awareness and training software to help organisations teach their employees secure behaviour. The new services, fully managed by Dell SecureWorks, are designed to help organisations combat the flood of information security threats by teaching employees about information security best practices.

The Managed Security Awareness Program takes a comprehensive and continual approach to educate employee workforces and change employee behaviour regarding security threats. Program activities include modular training curriculum, simulated phishing and spear phishing exercises, knowledge assessments, monthly newsletters, information security branding materials, and reporting and metrics designed to demonstrate effectiveness. The service will provide organisations with the following benefits:
• ?increased employee vigilance and reduced risk as employees become more knowledgeable on the importance of security and more alert to threats;
• a multi-faceted approach to changing workforce behaviour through testing, training and reinforcement of learning;
• a culture of security awareness by leveraging education and communication security best practices;
• behaviour change across all types of employees, from the boardroom to the mail room, from cubicles to campuses;
• demonstrated program effectiveness and business benefits through meaningful metrics that record change in employee behaviour; and,
• a comprehensive, consistent and innovative approach to security awareness, while alleviating the burden on security teams and personnel.

Managed Phishing Services help organisations test how well their employees are responding to phishing attacks. It takes a knowledgeable and discerning eye to recognise a malicious email. This service will train employees to recognise phishing attacks and take proper action when receiving suspicious emails. Dell SecureWorks will send employees phishing emails using the same tactics attackers use. The service combines testing with training. The moment employees click on a suspicious link or attachment, they receive immediate feedback, providing them with a “teachable moment.”

The suite of Security Awareness Training Solutions is overseen by the Dell SecureWorks security team under the auspices of the company’s own CISO, Doug Steelman.

“One of the biggest reasons organizations get breached is due to the vulnerabilities of their employees,” said Steelman. “Companies can patch their software and have plenty of security controls with abundant security instrumentation. Unfortunately, one click from an uninformed employee can allow threat actors to achieve their malicious intent, regardless of security technologies which may be in place.”

Educating employees about security threats is top of mind for many organisations, as found in a recent global survey conducted by Dell Software. The survey polled 1,440 top public and private sector security decision-makers. Sixty seven percent of survey respondents globally (80 percent in the U.S.) say they have increased funds spent on security education and training of employees in the past 12 months; 50 percent believe security training for both new and current employees is a priority.