A cybersecurity awareness program is a structured, ongoing initiative designed to educate and train an organization's personnel on cyber threats, security policies, and best practices for protecting sensitive data and critical systems. Operating as a key administrative security control, it aims to mitigate human-related risks by fostering a security-conscious culture throughout the enterprise. The program systematically informs employees about dangers such as phishing, social engineering, malware, and data breaches while clarifying their roles in identifying, reporting, and preventing security incidents.

These programs are integral to effective Governance, Compliance & Privacy, ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements like GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA, as well as internal policies. This significantly reduces compliance violations and associated legal, financial, and reputational penalties. By transforming human behavior and promoting informed decision-making, a well-implemented awareness program enhances organizational resilience against cyberattacks, reinforcing that informed personnel constitute a critical layer of defense against security vulnerabilities.