Why Simulated Phishing Attacks Are so Effective for Training Employees

Do you know the most common way cyber attackers gain initial access? It’s not through sophisticated coding skills or programs. Usually, it’s a simple email that deceives the victim, known as a phishing email.

According to CISA, a whopping 90% of cyber attacks begin with a phishing email, as the human factor in cybersecurity is often the most vulnerable link. But that doesn’t have to be the case.

For years, security awareness training has been a must for organizations looking to foster a positive cybersecurity culture among the workforce. Awareness training is also required by regulatory compliance frameworks including NIST Cybersecurity, GDPR, ISO 27001, and PCI-DSS. Traditionally, these trainings have involved online courses or in-person lectures.

More recently, phishing simulation, an especially effective type of training, has risen in popularity. Simulation-based training goes beyond theoretical knowledge and immerses employees in realistic phishing scenarios that help them learn in a hands-on, risk-free environment.

In this article, we’ll go over a few key reasons why this type of training is so effective in transforming the human factor in cybersecurity from a threat to an asset.

Real World Relevance

Unlike traditional learning methods, which are static, often unengaging, and can quickly become outdated, phishing simulations are dynamic. They can easily evolve to teach teams about new types of threats, ensuring that employees are exposed to the latest tactics used by cybercriminals. This dynamic approach mirrors the interplay seen in Red Team vs. Blue Team vs. Purple Team cybersecurity exercises, where organizations use offensive security testing (Red Team) to strengthen their defensive capabilities (Blue Team), while fostering collaboration between both sides (Purple Team) to maximize learning opportunities.

Over time, this regular exposure will help employees recognize the subtle signs of phishing attempts, which might include urgent language, unusual requests, and suspicious domains.

Phishing simulations are also highly customizable and can adapt to company or industry-specific risks. For example, a healthcare provider may simulate phishing emails requesting sensitive patient data (which puts the hospital at risk of HIPAA scrutiny, not to mention ransomware dangers). At the same time, a financial institution could replicate fraudulent transaction alerts.

These realistic, context-driven scenarios will leave a lasting impression on employees, reinforcing positive habits and critical thinking skills needed to detect sophisticated scams.

A Risk Free Learning Environment

Mistakes are our greatest teacher, but it’s even better when no actual harm is done as a result.

That’s exactly what you’re getting with simulated phishing. The simulations are done in a controlled, risk-free environment where employees can safely make mistakes and learn from them.

Employees will get immediate feedback on their actions, helping them understand what went wrong and what they should look out for in the future.

On top of this, the organization can gather critical data regarding the security awareness levels of its workforce and adequately plan additional training or other strategies to address the weak spots.

Proven Positive Behavioral Change

According to a recent report by Hoxhunt, organizations that conducted phishing simulations on a monthly or quarterly basis saw dramatic improvements in their ability to successfully identify potentially harmful emails. Notably, there was a nine-fold increase in threat reporting, which shows that consistent exposure to simulated attacks trains employees to recognize and act on potential threats more effectively.

The dramatic increase in threat reporting shows notable positive behavioral change as a result of simulation-based training that’s hard to replicate with other, more traditional methods.

This also makes sense from a psychological perspective. Before being exposed to this type of training, many employees may have never even heard of phishing. By simply introducing the concept of phishing, and its implications, and then actually experiencing it in a controlled environment, employees become more aware and critical in the real world.

For organizations that have been living in fear of employees being their weakest cybersecurity link, phishing simulations provide a practical and effective way to turn that vulnerability into a strength.

Building a Culture of Security Awareness

The positive behavior changes resulting from simulation-based training won’t just help employees recognize phishing attempts.

Often, this training creates a ripple effect that transforms the entire organization’s approach to cybersecurity.

Employees will generally be more mindful of the security risks facing their work-related digital assets, which extends beyond phishing and into other key security areas, such as using devices responsibly, setting strong passwords and MFA, and securing sensitive data.

The long-term benefits of this shift in mindset are significant, and well worth the investment.

Addressing Challenges and Criticisms

As with many great things in life, phishing simulation has its challenges. Implementing this type of training needs to be done thoughtfully to make sure it’s effective and well-received.

The main criticism of simulated phishing is the perception that it is designed to embarrass or “catch” employees making mistakes. It’s natural to feel this way, so it’s important for the security leadership to help employees start seeing it more as a learning opportunity rather than a punitive measure.

Additionally, these simulations should have a minimal impact on employees’ workflow, as that could lead to unnecessary stress and even resentment. That’s why it’s best to issue simulations sporadically, at random hours over the work month. Balancing the frequency of training will also help avoid desensitization.