Exceptional EA

It was while supporting a board of directors and its committees that I first began paying serious attention to cybersecurity. One of the board’s committees focused its energies and expertise on technology matters, and that tweaked my fascination with one of the the most significant challenges employers face. I wanted to learn more, and continue to do so.

Not all of us have the benefit of such exposure to this key business issue, which is increasingly becoming personal. However, if you’ve attended any of my cybersecurity presentations, or read my recent articles on apps and the need for all of us to become increasingly aware of both business and personal cyber risks, you’ll know there are steps each of us can take to mitigate those risks.

This begins with awareness.

My fifth annual weekend poll focusing on cybersecurity

When I published my first Weekend Poll focused on cybersecurity, in October 2017,  almost 20% of the assistants who responded reported that they had limited (or no) awareness of the topic.

That same year, only 48% of respondents reported that they’d received cybersecurity training through their employers. The percentage increased to 56.5% in 2018, and 75% in 2019. While general awareness is on the rise, 65% of 2019’s respondents and 67% of 2020’s respondents said you’re not confident you know enough. 

Now, it’s time to see how assistants are doing in terms of understanding cyber risks – and how to mitigate them – in 2021. This leads me to ask:

How’s your cybersecurity awareness in 2021?

Please take a couple of minutes to complete the poll below. As always, I look forward to hearing what you have to say and will publish the results here.