In employee training on data protection, what key topic should be emphasized?

Emphasizing the recognition of phishing attempts and other social engineering tactics in employee training on data protection is crucial because these strategies are among the most prevalent methods used by cybercriminals to breach security. Training employees to identify suspicious emails, messages, or requests helps to foster a vigilant organizational culture where staff can actively protect sensitive data.

When employees are educated about the signs of phishing, such as unusual sender addresses, unexpected requests for personal information, or urgent calls to action in messages, they are better equipped to respond appropriately, such as reporting suspicious incidents or avoiding risky behaviors. This preventative approach significantly reduces the likelihood of successful attacks that could result in data breaches or other harmful outcomes for the organization.

In contrast, the other options do not align with fundamental data protection goals. Collecting more data can lead to increased privacy risks if not managed properly, avoiding passwords entirely compromises security practices, and challenging company policies without a constructive approach undermines the organization's efforts to maintain data security integrity.