Train employees to prevent a cyberattack at your restaurant

Training employees to recognize and respond to potential cyberattacks at your restaurant could minimize the impact of such an event if, and when, it occurs. The goal, of course, is to prevent cyber criminals from gaining access to sensitive information that could hurt your business and the customers who support you.

Small businesses are attractive cybercrime targets
The Small Business Administration reports cyberattacks are a growing threat to small businesses and the U.S. economy. According to the FBI's 2023 Internet Crime Report, the cost of cybercrimes against small businesses reached $4.57 billion—a 38% increase over the previous year.

Small businesses are attractive targets because they have information that cybercriminals want, and typically lack the security infrastructure and personnel that larger businesses can uphold.

A data breach not only affects the financial well-being of your company, but also its reputation. When customer data is compromised due to a lack of employee awareness, your brand’s image can be damaged. Regaining trust could be time-consuming and expensive. Failing to comply with industry-specific cybersecurity standards or data protection laws, such as HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and GDPR, could result in significant fines, as well.
 
Teach responses to potential threats
That’s why educating your employees and providing them with the skills needed to recognize and respond to potential threats is so important. According to IT solutions provider BCS365, training them to recognize phishing attempts or even knowing some of the risks where GenAI is involved, could help protect your operation. 

In the event of a data breach, it's essential your employees know the proper protocols to follow. This should include reporting any suspicious activity, changing passwords regularly, and keeping software up to date. Here are 6 training suggestions to follow:

1. Make sure your training focuses on tools that show employees how to effectively manage evolving cybersecurity threats.
2. Teach employees about cyber threats and accountability. Your employees must be able to recognize and mitigate common threats, like phishing attacks and malware.
3. Instruct your work staff to create strong passwords that protect sensitive data and follow secure online practices.
4. Regularly inform your employees about updates to evolving cybersecurity threats and best practices that will protect your data.
5. Use simulated phishing exercises and real-world-based training to keep employees interested and engaged in learning.
6. Conduct periodic assessments and collect metrics that track the effectiveness of your training. Also, allow for adjustments and improvements when necessary.

These cybersecurity training topics could help, too:

• Understanding how to spot phishing emails
• Recognizing and avoiding clicking on suspicious downloads
• Enabling authentication tools (such as strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, etc.)
• Identifying and protecting sensitive vendor and customer information 

Cybersecurity training will provide you and your employees with knowledge and skills that protect your business and assets from threat, and contribute to a safer, more secure digital world.

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