Kaspersky
Adaptive Online
Training
Cybersecurity skills froma leading IT security vendor,
supported by adaptive learning

KAOT: Kaspersky
Adaptive Online Training
More than 80% of all cyber-incidents are caused by human error*, and enterprises lose millions recoveringfrom these incidents. Employees are the main gateway into the organization for attackers – but properly
trained, cyber-aware staff who practice cyber-hygiene can also become a very effective first line ofdefense. There are various training programs on the market, but a very traditional approach often fails toachieve the desired motivation and behavioral changes to be effective.

Why is traditional awareness training
often ineffective?
Many awareness solutions help companies to adhere to compliance standards forsecurity awareness, but in fact they don’t change employees’ behavior and don’t
ensure long-lasting use of acquired skills. Among the main reasons why training failwith their mission are:• Doesn’t ensure the progress of each individual
A ‘one-size-fits-none’ approach, whether online or classroom-based, fall short.
The more employees in the program, the more difficult it is to create a curriculumthat takes into account their individual abilities and characteristics.
• Training takes too much time
If an employee has already mastered a skill, there’s no option to skip those lessons,making the training long and tedious to get through.

“Ignorance more
frequently begets
confidence thandoes knowledge.”
Charles Darwin,
The Descent of Man• Employees aren’t motivated to learn
People don’t always recognize their knowledge needs, and think they know something
when they don’t. This results in unconscious incompetence where employees aren’t
motivated to learn something because they think they already have those skills andlearning them is a waste of time, even when it’s not.
• Content isn’t engaging
Training is often generalized rather than personalized and interactive, so it’s notengaging and struggles to achieve skills retention. Videos, games, and online coursestyle training have their place, but they don’t restructure individual learning paths
according to personal knowledge levels and contribute to true mastery of thematerials.

Why should enterprises consider
Kaspersky when looking for a security
awareness training provider?
Kaspersky has expanded its portfolio with a product specifically tailored forenterprises – Kaspersky Adaptive Online Training (KAOT). KAOT is the resultof collaboration between Kaspersky and Area9 Lyceum, a leader in adaptive
learning systems.
KAOT training is unique solution combining content based on Kaspersky’s 20+ years’
experience in cybersecurity and an advanced learning & development methodology.
Grounded in innovative adaptive learning methodology, the cognitive-driven approachcontributes to a personalized learning experience that takes into account the abilities
and needs of each and every learner. The individual learning path fosters retention andautomatic skills use that changes employee attitudes and habits sustainably, protecting
enterprise cybersecurity from human error.

* C ybSafe analysis, ICO

1What distinguishes KAOT fromother offerings?
• Kaspersky Cybersecurity skillset: based on our vast experience in cybersecurity,
we have identified a set of skills that every employee should possess in order tooperate IT safely at work. This skillset forms the content of the training.
• Adaptive learning system: by adjusting a learner’s current level of knowledge andcreating a customized learning path for each person, the adaptive learning algorithm
makes sure that the learner masters the skills until they become automatic.

“Each problem that I
solved became a rule,
which served afterwards
to solve other problems.”
Rene Descartes,
Discourse on Method

What makes the KAOT solution
so effective?
• One-on-one personal tutor approach
One of the main components of this efficiency is a personal tutor-like approach that’sachieved as a result of using key elements of learning science: problem-based learning,keeping the learner at just the right difficulty of study throughout, using different
approaches to the same topic and constantly assessing the learner’s progress.
• Saves employees’ time
The training suggests a personalized approach for each employee, depending on
their current level of skills, confidence in these skills/ knowledge and their ability toabsorb information, so they can learn without wasting time on what they have alreadymastered1.
• Boosts internal motivation
Adaptive learning can identify areas in which people are unconsciously incompetent –i.e. they think they know something, but in fact they don’t! By identifying how familiara learner is with a topic, they are provided with explanations and help only when theyneed it. Eliminating tiresome repetition helps improve internal motivation.
• Immersive learning process
The platform uses formative assessment teaching by asking questions that ensurethat the learner has learnt everything and that the knowledge it not only acquired,
but anchored. No overtraining or excessively long and tiring learning modules.
Reinforcement and knowledge refreshment of those topics that an employee foundmost difficult contribute to making use of the skills automatic.

1 Training time cut by up to 50% compared to
traditional online or classroom training

2How does adaptive learning work?
An innovative cognitive approach lies at the heart of the adaptive learning. It’s
grounded in research on human factors and adaptive algorithms and contributes toa personalized, tutor-like teaching experience at scale that take into consideration
the abilities and needs of each learner. It allows learners to move forward according
to their competences, using different approaches to the same topic when needed
and constantly assessing whether the learner is progressing. By building an individual
learning path, training fosters greater competency in cybersecurity essentials,
contributing to a safe corporate cyber environment.
The KAOT platform uses algorithms to evaluate the learner constantly and adjust
the learning path accordingly. It moves steadily from unconscious incompetence toconscious competence, which gives learners more awareness and greater confidence
in what they know, resulting in better application of cybersafe behavior in theireveryday work, leading to better business outcomes.

Unconscious
incompetenceConscious
incompetenceConscious
competence

Automaticity is the ability to do
things without occupying the mind,
allowing it to become an automatic
response pattern or habit

AUTOMATICITY

Skills refreshment

KAOT adapts to the learner, presenting content only when necessary; students
receive follow-up in areas in which they struggle, filling skill gaps and building greatercompetency quickly and effectively. At a high level of competency, certain knowledge
becomes second nature, allowing actions to become automatic and habitual. This levelof knowledge mastery is known as “automaticity.” KAOT builds automatic cybersafe
behavior that is constantly reinforced by “refresh” activities when a learner might be atrisk of forgetting the content. The result is an optimized path to learner proficiency.

Training efficiency ensured by methodology

Incompetent

Unconscious

TRAINING

Consciouslycompetent

Conscious

Unconsciously
incompetentCompetentConscious

Unconscious

Competent

Incompetent3How is the training structured?
The platform’s content is based on a competency model consisting of practical andessential cybersecurity skills that all employees should have. Without these skills,
whether through ignorance or negligence, employees can damage your business.

• Passwords• Email Security• Web browsing• Social networks andmessengers• PC security• Mobile devices• GDPR

Every lesson begins with a question, and based on the user’s understanding of thetopic, the platform then either follows up with a theoretical lesson or moves to anothertopic (if the answers were correct). The platform will also ask to identify the level ofcertainty about each statement to offer the learner a relevant scenario according totheir actual unconscious competency level.

As of June 2020, KAOT
will be available in thefollowing languages:
English, German, Spanish,Arabic, French, Italian,Russian.

Each lesson consists ofQuestions where it’s important to rate
the level of confidence in the answer.
Be honest, it’s not an exam!
Short text explanations when a learnerneeds it

The administrator needs to choose which modules to assign to each group of users.
Once registered, each employee can run the lessons in their preferred order. The content
of every lesson is built according to the user’s progress and confidence, ensuring thatthey learn only those skills that they don’t know and skip those they do (and already use).
Every lesson must be refreshed within a certain time period, automatically depicted in theuser’s interface.
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The picture below shows the learning paths of three different learners who took thesame course. At the end, each learner achieved 100% proficiency, but they learnt atdifferent speeds and in a different manner. Every circle on the scheme is a topic - thebigger the circle the longer it took for the learner to master it. People learn at different
rates, taking into account many factors, including their ability to absorb information andexisting knowledge levels, but they all ultimately mastered the skill.
Individual learning paths based on an
employee’s answers and their level ofconfidence

Learner 1

Learner 2

Learner 2Takes an almost linear paththrough the course as mostof the answers were correctand he/she was confident
about them.

Requires much more
support and explanations
as 52% of the initial
answers were correct.

47% correct. Has as muchto learn as Learner 2,
especially struggled with
one learning objective.

100% proficient
at 8m 25s

100% proficientat 19m 39s

100% proficientat 33m 40s

Is there a mechanism to prevent
cheating?
The training program is 100% personalized – KAOT checks the unconscious competency
level of each employee and builds the program accordingly, so employees receive
different questions according to their level of knowledge, making cheating impossible.

How do you track results?
Extensive statistics allow you to follow up employee progression – performancesummary, reports and diagrams for groups and individuals. Admin can identify highperformers as well as those who need additional coaching. Reports on user progress,progress of classes, assignment details with indepth analysis of employee competence
and metacognition as well as an ‘at risk’ diagram showing employees’ unconscious
incompetence analytics all help to track results.

Comprehensive analytics• The way for educators tomanage students – all learning inpersonalized ways.
• Handle assignments and/orlearning paths.
• Advanced analytics.
• Early warning technology tohighlight at-risk students.

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What are the training outcomes?
• Uncovers and fixes unconscious incompetence, providing motivation for learning andensuring sustainable cybersafe behavior• Eliminates boredom and frustration through a personalized approach to each learner
which boosts engagement and involvement in cybersecurity• Ensures automatic, habitual use of skills, as a result of:− Training materials adapted to individual learners’ characteristics− How the content is presented, taking into account the specifics of adult learning− Constant assessments that make learners constantly solve problems and answer
questions that help them to better absorb information− Ongoing “refreshment” – returning to those topics and issues that caused
difficulties early on.
• Cuts training time by 50% thanks to the adaptive learning methodology, so less timeis spent on training and more time applying it on the job.

Technical features:• Supports Single Sign On (SSO) via OpenID Connect• AD synchronization is available through integration with ADFS
• Can be integrated with LMS via the SCORM or LTI e-learning formats (SCORM 1.2and LTI 1.0, LTI 1.1 and LTI 1.1.1)

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www.kaspersky.com/awareness