In a digital native world, security—especially cybersecurity—must be a shared responsibility across every level of an organization. Creating such a culture is easier said than done, though.

Table of Contents
  1. What Does It Mean to Have a Cybersecurity Culture?
  2. Why is a Security Culture Important?
  3. Use Established Best Practices to Guide Your Culture-building
  4. Where Should We Develop a Cybersecurity Culture Within Our Organization?
  5. Practical Applications of Cybersecurity Best Practices You Should Use
  6. Basic 8-step Process to Develop a Cybersecurity Culture
  7. A Strong Security Culture Keeps Your Organization Resilient
  8. Real Time Networks: Certified for Your Security

Fostering a cybersecurity culture goes beyond setting policies or running the occasional training session. It involves integrating security practices into daily operations. It means employees understand their roles in mitigating risks. And it means leveraging smart technology where it makes sense to simplify secure practices. 

This article will explore why building culture is a better long-term approach to security than pure policy. We’ll examine how to build a cybersecurity culture that safeguards your organization from evolving threats. 

We’ll also discuss how integrated smart technologies, such as intelligent keys and locker management systems, can enhance security practices in a world of blended physical and cyber threats. 

 

What Does It Mean to Have a Cybersecurity Culture? 

A security culture is the collective attitudes, beliefs, and actions an organization fosters regarding physical and cybersecurity issues. Protecting business data and data-bearing devices is a particularly critical priority. An important principle in this thinking is that security culture isn’t just the responsibility of security and IT teams. 

A security focus must permeate every level of the organization. The organization becomes more resilient when every stakeholder, from frontline employees to leadership, recognizes the importance of security and actively works to protect the company’s physical and digital assets.

Be Proactive 

  1. Raising threat awareness  
  2. Implementing and regularly updating security policies 
  3. Conducting regular employee training 
  4. Promoting practices like strong password use, rigorous access controls, and continuous risk assessments 

Smart technologies, such as intelligent lockers and key management systems, complement broader cybersecurity measures by securing access to sensitive equipment and data-carrying devices.

 

Why is a Security Culture Important? 

Despite years of media coverage and opportunities to develop countermeasures, the risk and costs of a data breach have never been higher. IBM produces an annual Cost of a Data Breach report, and in 2024, they found that the global average cost of a data breach had risen to nearly $5 million—a 10 percent increase over last year and the highest total ever. 

So, the incentive to develop a strong internal security culture to mitigate these threats is obvious. In fact, in the same report, IBM found an average cost savings of over $2 million for organizations that extensively used security AI and automation in prevention compared to those that didn’t. 

Outcomes of Building a Strong Culture of Security 

Data security:

A strong security culture is vital for safeguarding an organization’s data and assets and protecting its reputation.

Proactive threat mitigation:

It enables identifying and managing internal and external threats. 

Better compliance:

A strong security culture also ensures compliance with local and international regulations so organizations avoid costly fines and reputational damage. It creates a unified approach to addressing risks. You have an established environment where everyone understands their role in maintaining security.

Protect your reputation:

A better security culture strengthens the trust of clients, partners, and investors. Organizations that visibly demonstrate their security initiatives strengthen their brand reputation. Internally, employees feel valued and secure, knowing their data and livelihoods are protected, leading to greater job satisfaction and loyalty.

 

Use Established Best Practices to Guide Your Culture-building 

While the security culture you want to build will need to be unique to your organization, you can still use established best practices and standards as a guide. We’ll get into specific practices we suggest you follow later. Still, if you want to do your research, we suggest looking into the best practices detailed in some of the leading security standards, including: 

 

Where Should We Develop a Cybersecurity Culture Within Our Organization? 

The answer is easy: everywhere. However, how you develop it depends on which level within your organization you’re working with—the executive, departmental, or individual levels. 

Executive Level     

Top-down culture building is important. Leaders set the tone by making cybersecurity a core organizational value. You want them to demonstrate that security is also their priority and, ideally, have them integrate it into company-wide communications and decision-making.  

While the CIO or CISO leads cybersecurity strategy, non-technical leaders also play a critical role by modeling secure behaviors and aligning visibly with the organization's mission to protect its assets. Someone at the executive level is the best possible champion for your culture-building initiative.   

Departmental Level      

An executive champion can push your security ideas, and a security team can do as much outreach as possible, but culture comes from within. Each department needs to take up the cause. You want cybersecurity to become a natural part of team dynamics and everyday workflows. Encourage teams to discuss security-related topics during meetings and through internal communication. Encourage different business units to seek guidance on improving their security practices.  

Individual Level    

Finally, you want to pair your top-down culture-building initiatives with bottom-up ones. Employees should each develop a solid understanding of potential threats they might face in their jobs. You don’t want the bystander effect to kick in—that is the opposite reaction to what you want in a cybersecurity culture. Employees should feel confident in taking proactive measures. They should know how to recognize suspicious activity and be clear on the procedures for reporting incidents.  

 

Practical Applications of Cybersecurity Best Practices You Should Use 

Developing a cybersecurity program and building a strong culture can be daunting. Fortunately, you don’t need to start building everything all at once. We suggest starting with one practical application of security best practices. Go as far with it as you can and add new ones as you see fit. Don't overcomplicate things; just pick one and get started. 

Identity Management:

Enforce role-based access controls and multi-factor authentication to ensure only authorized individuals access sensitive information.

Incident Response:

Develop a detailed response plan, clearly outlining roles, responsibilities, and escalation paths.

Secure Development:

Embed security measures into the software development lifecycle, including code reviews and vulnerability assessments.

Data Backup:

Implement regular backups with off-site and encrypted storage options to safeguard against data loss.



Basic 8-step Process to Develop a Cybersecurity Culture 

Developing a strong cybersecurity culture requires a structured approach that fosters awareness, accountability, and proactive thinking across all levels of your organization. By following a clear, step-by-step process, businesses can ensure that security becomes an intrinsic part of their operations and mindset. This eight-step process, which you can apply at any size organization, outlines cultivating a culture that equips employees to recognize threats, respond effectively, and uphold the organization’s commitment to safeguarding critical data and assets. 

  

1. Assess Current Physical & Cybersecurity Readiness      

First, you must understand your organization’s current security state. What threats are you most likely to face? What measures are in place? Which are effective? Which aren’t? Where are your vulnerabilities? A structured assessment helps define objectives, identify key stakeholders, and tailor training methods for maximum impact. 

 

 

 

A team of cybersecurity professionals analyzing surveillance footage and discussing security strategies in a modern office.

2. Engage Leadership in Security   

As we’ve said, cybersecurity culture starts at the top. Leaders must visibly support cybersecurity initiatives by integrating lessons from assessments into strategic objectives. C-suite executives, not just IT leaders, should champion security as a core business value. Engage your leadership team to discuss security challenges with staff regularly and set measurable, time-defined goals. Doing this from the outset will reinforce the importance of security across the organization. 

 

Three professionals collaborating on data-driven cybersecurity decisions, reviewing analytics on a transparent digital interface.

3. Design a Culture-building Program That Works Towards Meeting Industry Standards       

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel to build a culture of security. There are many reliable standards out there you can follow to guide your culture-building. Perhaps the most widely recognized is ISO 27001, which sets requirements for establishing, implementing, and maintaining an information security management system (ISMS).

Real Time Networks recently achieved ISO 27001:2022 certification. 

It includes several two other important standards:

  • Data Protection: ISO 27001 sets standards for safeguarding sensitive information while maintaining availability. 
  • Continuous Improvement: You must regularly audit your security practices to stay ahead of evolving threats. 
Close-up of a business professional holding ISO 27001 compliance icons, symbolizing the importance of certified information security systems.

4. Provide Targeted Security Training        

Tailor training programs to align with employees’ roles and exposure to potential threats. For example, training on likely spear phishing email attacks may be most necessary for teams that receive a high volume of external communication, such as your customer support team or sales. You may also want to conduct that training with individuals who have elevated access to IT and security systems to mitigate the risk of an attacker gaining access to critical infrastructure. 

Regular training updates ensure employees stay ahead of evolving threats. HR and IT teams can monitor participation and comprehension, ensuring every employee is equipped to act as the first line of defense

Technicians monitoring critical systems on multiple screens, ensuring real-time detection and mitigation of cyber threats.

5. Launch Engaging Culture-building Campaigns        

Foster employee engagement with hands-on and relatable outreach campaigns. Incentives like rewards for spotting phishing emails or completing physical security training modules can boost participation. Assign a dedicated culture change leader to craft messages that resonate with employees using blogs, emails, and interactive displays. Someone close to the operational level is best for this job, often a team supervisor with strong communication skills. Tailored campaigns for different departments can further amplify impact. 

 

A diverse group of professionals collaborating in a modern office setting, symbolizing teamwork in establishing a cybersecurity culture.

6. Conduct Security Drills         

Simulated exercises, such as evacuations, shelter-in-place announcements, or ransomware attacks, help employees apply what they’ve learned in realistic settings. They also allow security stakeholders to identify knowledge gaps and ensure readiness for real-world incidents. For example, does your customer service team not recognize phishing emails? Is the warehouse department too susceptible to social engineering attacks compromising access cards?  

 

 

A computer screen displaying an 'Authentication Failed' message, highlighting the importance of conducting regular security drills.

7. Perform Regular Audits         

Consistently review your organization’s cybersecurity maturity. Measure progress using data from simulations, interviews, and training reports. Include cybersecurity awareness in performance reviews, balancing rewards for compliance with corrective actions for gaps. Annual evaluations ensure your culture change strategy remains aligned with evolving threats. 

 

 

 

A digital interface with the word 'Audit' highlighted, representing the significance of performing regular cybersecurity audits.

8. Consider How to Integrate Smart Key and Locker Systems as Tools for Security Culture-building        

Integrating smart key cabinets and intelligent locker systems into your security strategy bolsters physical security complements access control policies, and ensures accountability. These systems securely store sensitive equipment and data-bearing devices and log every access attempt. Their role in streamlining asset security aligns well with fostering an organization-wide security-first mindset. 

 

Two professionals inspecting a key management system, emphasizing integrated physical and cybersecurity measures.

 

A Strong Security Culture Keeps Your Organization Resilient 

A robust security culture empowers organizations to navigate an ever-evolving threat landscape confidently. While tools and technologies may evolve, fostering a proactive attitude toward cyber and physical risks ensures timely and effective decision-making. 

Core practices like multi-factor authentication and strong password management remain essential pillars of security. However, true organizational resilience comes when employees take ownership of security, actively support their peers, and mitigate risks whenever possible.

 

Real Time Networks: Certified for Your Security

Close-up of a professional interacting with a digital interface displaying ISO 27001 certification, symbolizing commitment to global information security standards.
 
At Real Time Networks, we take security seriously. Our recent achievement of the ISO 27001:2022 certification, a globally recognized standard for information security management, is a testament to our unwavering commitment to safeguarding your data and ensuring the highest levels of security across all our operations. 

This certification reflects our dedication to protecting sensitive information, maintaining system availability, and continually improving our security practices. We’re proud to set an example for how organizations can build and maintain a strong security culture that meets the highest standards. 

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Maurizio DiVito

Maurizio DiVito

Chief Operating Officer