Cybersecurity continues to be a top concern for organizations in every sector, and for good reasons (Jones, 2025). Cyber threats continue to evolve quickly, and the impact a cyber incident can have cannot only cause disruptions to operations and compromise sensitive data, but it can also create long-term impacts and challenges to recovery. Building cyber readiness can oftentimes feel like a complex task, but it doesn’t have to start with major investments or technical overhauls. One of the most effective first steps in cyber readiness begins with training (Center for Internet Security, n.d.). Training can be an essential tool to cyber readiness, especially when it is offered in a flexible, self-paced format designed to fit into a busy schedule.
The National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC) offers self-paced web courses to support organizations in many different areas. From improving cybersecurity awareness and organizational readiness to and risk management. These courses provide practical knowledge that can be applied across all areas of an organization, from leadership to operational staff, and more!
Start with the Foundation: Cybersecurity Policies
A strong cybersecurity posture begins with more than just the technical tools; it begins with setting clear expectations and consistent guidance. This is where cybersecurity policies play an essential role. Policies establish what is required, what is acceptable, and what actions should be taken to protect systems and information. Policies often provide a framework for consistency, accountability and continuity.
One course that directly supports this foundational work is MGT-333-W Organizational Cybersecurity Policy Essentials. This self-paced course focuses on building an understanding of cybersecurity policy development and implementation. It also highlights why policy is critical to overall organizational cybersecurity readiness. Learners are introduced to what belongs in a cybersecurity policy, what the anatomy of a policy looks like, and how policy impacts organizational behavior and compliance, in addition to what challenges organizations may face when creating or maintaining cybersecurity policies.
Building Awareness
Once policies are established, the next step is ensuring staff understand cybersecurity risks and how everyday actions can impact organizational security. Cybersecurity awareness is not limited to just the IT department; it is a shared responsibility across the entire organization. Effective training helps employees and leaders recognize threats, reduce vulnerabilities, and support secure behaviors consistently.
A course that supports this effort is AWR-397-W: Cybersecurity for Everyone. This course provides an accessible overview of cybersecurity concepts and helps learners understand common risks, safe practices, and how connected devices can introduce vulnerabilities. It is a great option for organizations that want to provide cybersecurity awareness to a broad audience.
Strengthen Response Readiness & Incident Management
Training is also essential for preparing organizations to respond effectively when incidents occur. Even with strong policies and awareness training, organizations must plan for the possibility of a cyber event and ensure personnel understand the steps required to manage incidents appropriately.
The course AWR-169-W: Introduction to Cyber Incident Management supports organizations by introducing key concepts in cyber incident management, including how incidents are identified, analyzed, prioritized and addressed. This type of training helps organizations strengthen response processes and supports continuity by ensuring leaders understand what actions are needed during a cyber incident and why timely decision-making is critical.
Addressing Emerging Threats
Many organizations are also facing increasing cybersecurity risks due to the expansion of connected devices and networks. Internet of Things (IoT) devices are widely used nowadays and can introduce vulnerabilities if not properly secured. As organizations expand and introduce new types of technologies to the organization, having a baseline understanding of IoT-related risks becomes increasingly important.
The course AWR-402-W: Introduction to Internet of Things can assist learners in understanding how IoT devices function, what makes them vulnerable, and what best practices can be put into place to reduce risk. It also connects IoT security to policy and organizational responsibility, which also aligns with some of the foundational concepts introduced in MGT-333-W.
Moving Forward
Cybersecurity preparedness is not a one-time effort; it is an ongoing process that requires various parts, such as planning, training and organizational-wide commitment. The good news is that organizations can take meaningful steps forward by building knowledge and capabilities over time, starting with foundational topics and then moving on to more advanced ones.
If you are looking for a course to begin strengthening cyber readiness within your organization, MGT-333-W is a great course to begin with. As always, more training courses can be found through the NCPC catalog found here.
By Monique Leija, information security instructor at the Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security with The University of Texas at San Antonio.
References:
Center for Internet Security. (n.d.). CIS Critical Security Control 14: Security awareness and skills training.
Jones, D. (2025). Cyber disruptions remain top business risk concern in US, globally. Cybersecurity Dive.