Question: Are awareness topics aligned to risk, incidents, and regulatory changes?
Why This Matters
Targeted training ensures relevance. When topics follow risk and incident trends, staff engagement and retention improve.
Maturity
0 — Unaware
Generic content reused each year.
Generic content reused each year.
1 — Ad Hoc
Topics chosen informally by HR or IT.
Topics chosen informally by HR or IT.
2 — Defined
Curriculum mapped to risk register themes.
Curriculum mapped to risk register themes.
3 — Managed
Quarterly topic updates based on incidents and regulatory notices.
Quarterly topic updates based on incidents and regulatory notices.
4 — Integrated
Automated topic selection from GRC and incident feeds.
Automated topic selection from GRC and incident feeds.
5 — Optimized
Predictive content based on behavioral analytics and threat trends.
Predictive content based on behavioral analytics and threat trends.
How to Level Up
| From → To | Actions |
|---|---|
| 0 → 1 | Review past incidents and choose top 3 themes. |
| 1 → 2 | Map topics to risk register categories. |
| 2 → 3 | Update quarterly with latest breach and regulation examples. |
| 3 → 4 | Link to incident database or SIEM feed. |
| 4 → 5 | Automate content generation based on risk data. |
Enablers
- People: Training Coordinator, Risk Owner, CISO
- Process: Review → Update → Deliver
- Technology: GRC tool, LMS, analytics engine
Evidence
- Training curriculum aligned to risk themes
- Update logs and approval records
- Incident trend summary used for topic planning
KPIs
- Number of topics updated this quarter
- Percentage derived from risk register
- Employee engagement rate per topic
Low-Cost / Open-Source Options (MSME)
| Purpose | Tool | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum tracking | Airtable | Map topics to risks |
| Delivery | Google Slides + Forms | Lightweight refreshers |
| Automation | n8n | Sync with risk log updates |
Common Pitfalls
- Same generic module every year
- No link to recent incidents
- Training not updated after law changes
Compliance Mapping
| Standard | Clauses / Notes |
|---|---|
| ISO/IEC 27001 | 7.3 (Awareness) / 8.2 (Information Security Risk Treatment) |
| DPDP Act 2023 | Sec 10 (Training on Obligations) |
| NIST CSF 2.0 | PR.AT / GV.MA |
| NIRMATA Mapping | AC-Q02 aligns awareness content with risk drivers. |