The increasing sophistication of cyber threats and strict (and complex) regulatory requirements create a professional environment where every player on your team has to know what they can and cannot do. In this regard, training and continuing education are non-negotiable.

This article discusses the critical importance of such training, the evolving threat landscape, and best practices for maintaining cybersecurity proficiency.

The Evolving Cyber Threat Landscape

It seems like every year sees massive growth in the volume and sophistication of cyber threats… and 2025 doesn’t look much different.

AI and machine learning have become the drivers of sophisticated attacks that can basically alter how we address security as a whole. From advanced automation to AI-generated phishing attacks, these threats are now harder than ever to identify.
The proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices has expanded the attack surface, providing cyber adversaries with new vectors to exploit. In 2022, there were 112 million recorded attacks on IoT devices, and that number has continued to rise.
Phishing has become more prevalent and sophisticated and remains the most-used attack vector in the wild.

The financial implications of these threats are staggering. Global cybercrime costs are projected to exceed $10.5 trillion annually by 2025. Therefore, ongoing training is a cornerstone of human-level data protection.

And yet, human error remains a leading cause of security breaches and non-compliance, often stemming from inadequate training and awareness. A well-trained workforce enhances organizational resilience, enabling quicker incident recovery and minimizing operational disruptions.

What Do Major Security Frameworks Dictate for Employee Training?

Cybersecurity frameworks will inevitably include specific requirements or guidelines for employee training and awareness programs, and it’s up to you to not only implement these programs but document how you’ve implemented them, how you ensure they are being deployed, and what you will do to make sure they are improved year-over-year.

Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)

The Department of Defense uses CMMC to ensure contractors protect Controlled Unclassified Information as part of their work with the federal government. Employee training is an integral part of its requirements:

Training Emphasis: Employees must be trained to identify, respond to, and mitigate security incidents involving CUI.
Role-Specific Training: The framework calls for training tailored to employees’ responsibilities based on their access to sensitive information.
Ongoing Awareness: Continuous training programs must inform employees about new threats and evolving best practices?.

ISO 27001

As an international standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS), ISO 27001 places strong emphasis on training and awareness as part of these security infrastructures:

Policy and Awareness Training: Organizations must ensure all personnel know the importance of their role in achieving ISMS objectives.
Awareness of Threats: Employees must understand the specific risks to information security in their roles.
Annual Updates: Training programs should be reviewed regularly to reflect new threats and regulatory changes?.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

GDPR focuses heavily on protecting EU citizens’ privacy and data rights. While there isn’t a specific framework for training, Article 39 specifies that embedded in the role of the Data Privacy Officer (DPO) is the requirement that they plan and oversee ongoing GDPR training for employees. This training would include:

Data Protection Awareness: Staff must be educated on GDPR principles, such as data minimization, consent requirements, and handling rights requests.
Mandatory Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs): Employees involved in projects handling personal data must understand how to conduct DPIAs effectively.
Incident Management: GDPR mandates training on reporting and responding to breaches within the 72-hour notification window.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

HIPAA mandates the protection of ePHI in the healthcare sector and subsequently requires that covered entities implement ongoing training programs for employees handling this information. Such training might include:

Awareness of PHI Handling: Employees must know how to handle, transmit, and store ePHI securely.
Security Rule Compliance: Specific training on administrative, physical, and technical safeguards is required.
Business Associate Agreements: Staff working with third parties must understand HIPAA obligations regarding data-sharing protocols.

Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)

PCI DSS requirement 12.6 mandates that any employee who encounters cardholder data must undergo data security and privacy training annually, focusing on specific practices like:

Annual Training Requirements: Employees must undergo yearly security awareness training programs.
Data Handling Practices: Training should emphasize secure handling, processing, and disposal of payment card data.
Incident Response Education: Employees must know their roles in the event of a payment card data breach?.

FedRAMP

FedRAMP ensures secure cloud service operations for federal agencies. These cloud offerings are expected to have robust training and education programs in place to help staff protect the data of client agencies:

Cloud-Specific Training: Employees must be trained on secure use of cloud environments.
Access Control and Authentication: Emphasis on understanding and implementing secure access protocols, including multi-factor authentication.
Continuous Monitoring Awareness: Employees must understand how continuous monitoring detects and addresses vulnerabilities.

StateRAMP

StateRAMP services many of its requirements from FedRAMP, but also includes some additional training requirements based on specific overlap with state and local data privacy standards:

CJIS-Specific Training: Providers working with the Criminal Justice Information System must receive training on security protocols for law enforcement data.
Standardized Awareness: Training programs should align with StateRAMP’s Moderate Impact Level to ensure consistency in understanding compliance requirements.

What Does Cybersecurity Training and Education Look Like In Your Organization?

Enterprise organizations should approach security as a comprehensive and ongoing priority. It is unlikely that an employee won’t ever touch user data or sensitive systems, and the potential for a breach exists in every person and device connected to company systems.

Some of the non-negotiable aspects of an ongoing education and training program will include:

Regular Training Programs: Conduct frequent, up-to-date training sessions to educate employees about emerging threats. Effective training will often include interactive workshops and simulations–but avoid self-service web training if possible, and only for the most basic security issues.
Role-Based Training: Tailor training programs to address different employee roles’ specific responsibilities and access levels, ensuring relevance and effectiveness. For example, IT staff may require in-depth technical training, while executives might focus on strategic cybersecurity awareness.
Phishing Simulations: Regularly simulate phishing attacks to assess readiness. Couple these attacks with educational material to help employees identify phishing attacks.
Policy Frameworks: Establish and enforce comprehensive cybersecurity policies and make those policies clear and available to all employees. Ensure new hire onboarding covers relevant aspects of this policy on day one.
Continuous Monitoring: Implement constant monitoring tools to detect and respond to threats in real-time, promptly addressing potential incidents. This proactive approach can significantly reduce the impact of cyberattacks.
Zero-Trust Architecture: Adopt a zero-trust security model that requires verification for every access request. This approach minimizes risk and is particularly effective in protecting against insider threats and lateral movement within networks.
Supply Chain Security: To mitigate risks arising from the extended enterprise ecosystem, evaluate the cybersecurity practices of suppliers and third-party partners. Establishing clear security requirements for vendors can help prevent supply chain attacks.
Incident Response Planning: Develop and regularly update incident response plans to ensure swift and effective action in the event of a security breach. Regular drills and updates to the plan can enhance preparedness and minimize response times.

Integrate Security Training into Your Compliance Reporting with Continue GRC

Continuum GRC is a cloud platform that stays ahead of the curve, including support for all certifications (along with our sister company and assessors, Lazarus Alliance).

We are the only FedRAMP and StateRAMP-authorized compliance and risk management solution worldwide.

Continuum GRC is a proactive cyber security® and the only FedRAMP and StateRAMP-authorized cybersecurity audit platform worldwide. Call 1-888-896-6207 to discuss your organization’s cybersecurity needs and learn how we can help protect its systems and ensure compliance.

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The Imperative of Cybersecurity Training and Continuing Education for Enterprises in 2025