Many employees know what they should be doing to stay secure online — but knowing and doing are two very different things. That’s why employee cybersecurity training is so important. Unique passwords? Most people reuse them. Multi-factor authentication (MFA)? It’s recognized as essential but still underused. Software updates and data backups? Far too many skip them until it’s too late.
The Need for Better Employee Cybersecurity Training
It only takes one small mistake to cause big damage — a weak password, a missed update, or a single click on a phishing email can lead to costly downtime and data loss. Yet many employees feel confident spotting scams, even though few consistently take steps to stay secure.
According to new data from the National Cybersecurity Alliance, conducted in partnership with CybSafe Oh Behave Report 2025, everyday habits and attitudes continue to shape major security risks for businesses.
The solution isn’t more tools or technology — it’s training. When employees build the right habits and confidence, the payoff is immediate: fewer breaches, lower costs, and a stronger security culture.
The ROI Case for Training
Cybersecurity often gets framed as a necessary expense, but the truth is that well-designed training pays for itself many times over.
Many employees still underestimate the importance of proactive protection — half believe their devices are automatically secure (a 7% increase from last year), and 53% still view online protection as too expensive. This mindset highlights why training is so critical.
- One employee reporting a phishing attempt instead of clicking a link can save your company from a six-figure ransomware payout.
- Teaching staff to use password managers reduces the time IT teams spend on constant password resets.
- Training that emphasizes regular software updates closes the gaps that cybercriminals are waiting to exploit.
The cost of training is fixed and predictable. The cost of a breach? Potentially devastating. The average cost of a breach for a small business can range anywhere from $120,000 to $1.24 million.
When you compare the two, it’s clear that training delivers a measurable return on investment by preventing the most common — and expensive — causes of cyber incidents.
Five Habits That Make-or-Break Security
Training works because it doesn’t just tell employees what’s risky — it reshapes everyday habits. Here are five areas where training makes the biggest difference:
1. Password Hygiene
Reused or weak passwords remain one of the easiest ways for attackers to get in — and the data shows this problem isn’t improving. Only 62% of people say they regularly create unique passwords, down from last year, and 41% never use a password manager. Teaching employees how to create strong, unique passwords — and making password manager use second nature — dramatically lowers the risk of credential theft.
2. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Even with stronger passwords, one extra layer of protection goes a long way. While 77% of people recognize the need for multi-factor authentication (MFA), only 41% actually use it. Showing how quick and simple it is to set up helps drive adoption across critical accounts — reducing compromised logins and strengthening overall security.
3. Software Updates
Credentials aren’t the only weak point. Delaying updates leaves the door wide open for attackers. More than half of people (56%) say they update their software regularly, yet only 47% consistently back up important data — a risky gap that leaves businesses vulnerable to downtime and loss. Making automatic updates the default can close one of the easiest paths cybercriminals exploit.
4. Data Backups
Updates keep threats out, but data backups help you recover when things go wrong. Regular, consistent backups can mean the difference between a quick recovery and total disaster after ransomware or accidental deletion. Building this habit — whether on local devices or in the cloud — ensures critical data is always protected.
5. Phishing Awareness & Reporting
Technology can only do so much — people are still the last line of defense. Spotting a phishing email is only half the battle; employees must also report it. Hands-on simulations help build that reflex to pause, double-check, and alert IT, reducing click-through rates and strengthening the organization’s overall defense.
The New Frontier — AI Cybersecurity Risks
Even as organizations make progress on phishing and other familiar threats, a new challenge is emerging. AI is rapidly reshaping the threat landscape — and most employees aren’t prepared for it.
Many use AI tools every day without realizing the risks. Some share sensitive company data that can be stored or exposed, while others trust AI-generated content that may be inaccurate or manipulated.
More than half of employees (52%) say they’ve never received training on the security or privacy risks of AI tools — a gap that’s growing as these platforms become part of daily workflows.
Cybersecurity training now needs to include AI literacy:
- How to safely use AI tools without leaking sensitive information.
- How to recognize deepfakes, AI-generated scams, and misinformation.
- How to verify and report suspicious content.
Without proper training, businesses risk “shadow AI” — employees adopting tools without guidance, unintentionally increasing exposure to data leaks and fraud.
Building a Security Culture
Strong security isn’t just about the tools you use — it’s about the people who use them. Firewalls and antivirus software can block many threats, but real protection depends on the everyday decisions employees make.
Employee training builds a cybersecurity culture where everyone plays a part in keeping data safe.
Still, most employees don’t see themselves as part of that first line of defense — 45% say IT is responsible for protecting the organization, and 40% point to the security department. That mindset leaves gaps where quick action or awareness could prevent serious incidents.
When cybersecurity becomes part of the daily mindset, organizations benefit from:
- Lower incident rates.
- Faster reporting and response.
- Greater trust between leadership and staff.
- A reputation for taking data protection seriously.
Training Is the Smartest Investment You’ll Make This Year
Cybersecurity training isn’t a sunk cost — it’s one of the smartest investments your business can make. By closing behavior gaps, reducing AI risks, and empowering employees to take action, you build a defense stronger than any single tool or software.
In 2025, your people are your greatest security advantage. Just Solutions helps you turn that potential into power — with hands-on cybersecurity training, smarter AI integration, phishing simulations, and network strategies built for real-world resilience.
Ready to see the ROI of employee cybersecurity training from the inside out? Take the first step with a network assessment.