Security tip of the week: security awareness in the workplace
IT security is topical and often exciting, but above all it plays a big part in whether a company succeeds. As an IT security consultant I see every day how important it is to get people interested in security, and ideally even a little enthusiastic about it.
At Taktsoft GmbH we've had good results with a simple format we call the 'security tip of the week': a short post in the team chat that everyone in the company gets to see. In this article I'd like to share why it works so well and how we go about it.
What goes into a security tip
A short, clear title that catches the eye and says what the tip is about, without resorting to clickbait. For example:
- '🚨 Security tip of the week: using AI tools safely 🚨'
- '🔒 Security tip of the week: spotting and avoiding phishing 🔒'
Putting the words 'security tip' in every title makes the posts easy to find in the chat history later. Hashtags such as #ITSecurity or #SecurityTip do the same job.
A brief introduction of one or two sentences that sets the scene and explains why the topic matters. For example:
- 'We only use approved AI services that are contractually bound not to use our internal data for training.'
The key points as bullets, with concrete instructions. For example:
- Which data is confidential? (customer information, internal documents and so on)
- Which AI tools are approved? (with links to them)
- Technical tips: 'Always use your company account, and never enter sensitive data into public AI tools.'
Every tip should be something people can act on straight away.
Where to go with questions, i.e. a contact person or a channel:
- 'Questions? Ask us in #it-security or get in touch with our team at [link].'
A link to the wiki or security handbook for anyone who wants more detail.
A personal sign-off to end on a friendly note:
- 'Stay safe, and enjoy your day! 😊'
Why 'of the week'?
The name is a reminder that security is something we should be thinking about regularly. The tip doesn't actually have to go out every week. What matters is that the topic keeps coming back.
Ideas for topics
Here's an open list of topics that work particularly well:
- Using AI safely (data, accounts, tools)
- Ransomware: how to recognise it and how to prevent it
- Taking your work laptop on a trip: what to watch out for
- Passwords and authentication
- Further training: free resources on security
- Technical deep dives: CSRF, XSS, SQL injection
- Software updates: why they matter and how to install them
- Email encryption, step by step
- Third-party and open source software: risks and rules
- Phishing and social engineering: the latest scams
- BYOD: connecting personal devices to the company network safely
- Web browsers: secure settings and safe browsing
Most of these are relevant to everyone. If a topic is only meant for some of your colleagues, say so right at the start, so nobody else is left wondering what it has to do with them. For example: 'Developers, this one's for you: today it's all about using APIs securely.'
Conclusion
The security tip of the week is a simple but effective way to raise awareness and build a stronger security culture. Give it a try!
A German version of this article was also published on LinkedIn on 28 November 2025.