Cyber Security Awareness

About this course.

This course raises your awareness of cyber security so that you understand your responsibilities and how to keep data and systems safe. Cyber attacks are one of the biggest risks facing organisations today, and the UK Government's Cyber Security Breaches Survey consistently finds that a large proportion of UK businesses identify a breach or attack each year — with phishing the single most common type. Crucially, most successful attacks rely on human error rather than highly technical hacking, which makes every employee an essential part of the defence. The course explains what cyber security is and the key terms you will meet, the legal duties around protecting personal data, the main types of cyber attack such as phishing, social engineering, malware and ransomware, and the practical steps everyone can take to improve cyber security in line with National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) good practice.

It also covers how to recognise and report a suspected incident, including when a cyber attack becomes a personal data breach that may need to be reported to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). It is suitable for all staff, whatever their role or level of technical knowledge. By the end you should feel confident spotting the warning signs of an attack, taking sensible precautions with passwords, devices and data, and knowing exactly what to do — and who to tell — if something goes wrong. The course concludes with a 15-question assessment requiring an 80% pass mark to earn your CPD certificate.