Overview of the Education, Training, and Awareness Policy
The ETA policy exists to mitigate the risk of security breaches that can occur due to a lack of employee awareness. It is designed to ensure that all employees and contractors within an organization are adequately educated on the importance of security and privacy, and are aware of their roles and responsibilities in maintaining it. The policy addresses the need for ongoing training and the dissemination of security reminders to reinforce the importance of security in the day-to-day operations of the organization.
Key Points of the Education, Training, and Awareness Policy
Program Definition Outline the scope of the security awareness and training program, including who will receive training and the frequency of training sessions.
Training Development Develop documented security and privacy awareness training as part of the onboarding process for new hires.
Specialized Training Provide role-specific security and privacy education and training to employees and contractors.
Security and Privacy Training Ensure training on security and privacy roles and responsibilities is conducted within 60 days of hire and annually thereafter.
Security Reminders Distribute regular security and privacy reminders between annual training sessions.
Significant Security Responsibilities Train employees with significant security responsibilities before they access critical data or systems, and annually.
Senior Executives Train senior executives on their specific security and privacy roles and responsibilities.
Formal Tracking Formally track the completion of security and awareness training to ensure compliance.
Onboarding Completion Maintain a documented list of individuals who complete the onboarding process and retain training records for at least five years.
Acknowledgement Require employees to sign an acknowledgement of their security and privacy responsibilities.
Security Violations Inform employees and contractors in writing about the consequences of violating security policies.
Program Review Conduct an internal review of the security and privacy education and training program annually.
Mobile Computing Devices Train employees on the security risks and controls related to mobile computing devices.
Remote Access Educate remote workers on the security risks and controls associated with remote access.
Incident Response and Contingency Planning Provide incident response and contingency training to critical system users.
BYOD Train employees on the policies and procedures for Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) usage.
Insider Threat Include procedures in training to recognize and report potential insider threats.
Sensitive Data Educate employees on the proper storage locations for sensitive data.
Security Alarms Train all personnel on how to respond to security alarms.
Information Exchange Train employees and contractors on best practices for exchanging information.
Crisis Management Provide crisis management training to all employees.
Acceptable Use Definition Define acceptable use policies for critical data and systems, including email, internet, and mobile devices.
Limitations of Use Communicate limitations on the use of critical data, systems, and assets to all personnel.
Unauthorized Software Prohibit the installation of unauthorized software and train users on these requirements.
The ETA policy is a comprehensive framework that ensures all members of an organization are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to protect the organization's assets. It emphasizes the importance of regular training and the need for specialized training tailored to the roles and responsibilities of different employees. By implementing such a policy, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of security breaches and ensure that their workforce is vigilant and prepared to respond to security threats.
In conclusion, the Education, Training, and Awareness policy is a vital component of an organization's security strategy. It not only educates employees on the importance of security but also equips them with the necessary tools to maintain it. If you're looking to implement this policy within your organization, we have a template available for purchase that can help streamline the process.
