Glossary
What Are Cybersecurity Labs?
Cybersecurity Labs Definition
Cybersecurity training is an essential resource for those looking to protect commercial, municipal, or governmental organizations from cyber attacks. Private companies are becoming an increasingly common target for cybercrime, and since employees with weak cybersecurity knowledge are the main entry point for online fraud, viruses, and other threats, it makes sense that business owners and managers should focus on teaching employees the importance of strong digital security.
While most companies rely on secure firewalls, centralized defense systems, and experienced IT departments, many companies are tapping into cybersecurity practice labs to improve the overall training experience through increased control, interaction, and scalability.
Cybercrime: By the Numbers
- As more workers are adopting smartphones as essential business communication devices, mobile device malware is on the rise. Symantec’s 2018 Internet Security Threat Report shows an increase of 54% for new malware affecting mobile devices, most of which come from third-party app stores. Cybersecurity training should cover smartphones just as much as desktop workstations.
- Identity theft prevention isn’t a low priority. A Javelin Strategy & Research study reports that around 17 million individuals are impacted by identity theft every year and over $15 billion is stolen. While data breaches make up many of these cases, even offline identity theft can result in you losing your personal data.
- Dealing with cybercrime is costly. The U.S. Department of Defense alone spends $8.5 billion towards cybersecurity. The story is similar for companies as well: according to IBM, a data breach costs a company around $3.9 million on average, and it takes up to 200 days to identify the breach.
The Importance of Cybersecurity Training
Cybersecurity online training labs are a worthwhile investment for companies looking to prevent theft and other online threats.
Successful cybercrime is often the result of human error. Phishing attacks are one method that involves fake emails or phone calls sent to trick employees into divulging login credentials. There’s also malware that seeks to install itself onto a company workstation and compromise network access.
A company’s IT department is often the first line of defense against cybercrime and cybersecurity labs help train them to identify and prevent these incidents, especially when they have direct access to computers and networking devices.
What are Virtual Training Labs
Virtual training labs are a reliable way for companies to keep their IT departments up to date, certified, fluent with industry software, and knowledgeable of current threats.
Virtual labs are more than just basic cybersecurity training. They can also be designed to provide the latest certifications from reputable companies like Cisco or Microsoft.
Virtual training labs also allow providers to create hands-on experiences for their clients, whether they are providing external or internal training, by creating an environment that can simulate real-world threats. These types of classes are most effective when they:
- Cover topics regarding digital threats and understanding their signs.
- Teach good habits for defending against phishing and viruses.
- Are up to date with current cybercrime trends since hackers are always evolving their methods.
- Are conducted in a secure, controlled environment.
- Occur frequently, as cybersecurity is not a one-time consideration. Instead, it’s an ongoing investment that all companies should make.
Many of these programs work by sending sample phishing and malware messages to employees and monitoring how they react. This is exactly how Red team cybersecurity labs work. Red teams intentionally attempt to breach the security of an organization to help them identify its most significant online risks.
