With cyberattacks gaining in both speed and strength, organizations need new ways to upskill teams and protect systems and data. It’s why VMware and GRIMM have partnered to create VMware Cyber Readiness – a hands-on training solution delivered via VMware Lab Platform to improve participants’ cybersecurity posture.
Across the globe, people have flocked online this year. In the wake of this mass migration, you can almost hear the hackers rubbing their hands with glee – the dramatic rise in online activity means more opportunities for them to do their nefarious work.
In fact, both the FBI and Interpol have reported huge upticks in criminal activity during COVID-19, with the FBI fielding 4,000 complaints a day about cyberattacks.
To help IT and cybersecurity professionals stay one step ahead of the hackers – and to protect your critical data and infrastructure – VMware and GRIMM have developed a hands-on training platform called VMware Cyber Readiness. Read on to learn why having a cyber strategy matters more than ever, and how the training platform helps bolster your organization’s security credentials.
A critical need to strengthen cybersecurity
Since the COVID-19 outbreak began, over 90% of organizations have shifted to remote work. More than six months on, while some are reopening their workplaces, the general opinion is that digital life and remote work are here to stay – the pandemic simply accelerated the out-of-office trend.
While it’s great news for those seeking more flexibility in their working days, the digital shift has increased organizational exposure to attacks. Endpoint security is causing headaches – for example, home Wi-Fi networks are typically less secure than their corporate counterparts. Plus, employees may be more likely to use personal devices at home to do their work.
IT teams have to protect a much larger and more complex attack surface, while coming up against more sophisticated and severe types of attack. No wonder 20% of organizations have reported security breaches with remote workers during the pandemic.
In the absence of face-to-face training on the latest in cybersecurity developments, many IT teams have found it hard to keep up with the fast-evolving threats and, as a consequence, are exposed to significant risk.
Responding to the cybersecurity challenge
To improve their cybersecurity posture and get ready for whatever the cybercriminals have in store, organizations are turning to VMware Cyber Readiness. This turnkey solution features the very latest in cybersecurity content and is being delivered via the VMware Lab Platform – giving employees access to real-world, hands-on training in a virtual environment.
The overarching goal of the program? To help your employees identify cyberattacks in simulated scenarios and teach them how to respond, fast. It includes baseline education and training, as well as the dynamic exercises that mirror real-world threats.
All the training content has been developed by our cybersecurity partner GRIMM, whose purpose-built capture-the-flag training includes both adversarial and defensive exercises to build upon your IT teams’ cyber maturity. You can easily add more content to extend their knowledge, too.
How organizations are using VMware Cyber Readiness
This training platform is the perfect springboard for introducing new cyber skills or extending your team’s existing capabilities.
The content aligns to GRIMM’s Cyber Maturity Builder, which delivers increasingly complex cyber challenges designed to develop and hone participants’ skills. And the gamified nature of the training is a great way to engage team members.
Here’s an example of how five teams could work with and against each other in a cyberattack scenario. It’s all designed to address the holistic nature of security threats, giving teams a safe yet realistic space within which to test their skills and understanding of an attack.
The protection your business needs right now
You may be in a healthcare company that can’t afford downtime. A government agency charged with protecting citizens’ personal data. Or any other business that couldn’t cope with a breach. Whatever your situation, VMware Cyber Readiness is a cost-effective, proven way to keep your teams on their toes – so that, together, you can stay one step ahead of potential threats.
VMware Cyber Readiness gives your IT and cybersecurity teams the hands-on experience they need to respond quickly and confidently to attacks. By strengthening your cyber-ready workforce, you can reduce both the probability and impact of cyberattacks.
Other key benefits of the out-of-the-box training solution include:
- Instant, 24/7 access to the training material
- Real-world simulations and hands-on consumable content to bolster the learning experience
- The ability to train up to 20 concurrent users in event-based exercises
- Capacity to add new content and services to extend your team’s cyber training
- Alignment with SANS, OWASP and CMMC’s top vulnerabilities, helping you prepare for future attacks
Want to learn more?
VMware Cyber Readiness is a true team effort between VMware’s Government, Education and Healthcare Solutions and Innovations team, the VMware Lab Platform team and GRIMM.
For more information about how it could strengthen your cybersecurity posture, get in touch today.
