Phishing training refers to managed simulated phishing attacks conducted by an organization's security team to test their users' susceptibility to phishing.
Phishing training aims to educate employees on how to identify and avoid phishing attempts through hands-on learning. By testing users with simulated attacks in a safe environment, organizations can identify areas of weakness and provide targeted awareness training to help improve cyber defenses. Implemented effectively, phishing training is considered a best practice for developing a "human firewall".
Key Concepts
Definition
Phishing is a type of cyberattack that uses fraudulent emails or websites designed to impersonate trusted entities in order to trick users into disclosing sensitive information such as login credentials or financial information. Phishing training refers to controlled simulations of phishing attacks conducted internally by an organization's information security team.
The goal is to identify which users are more susceptible to phishing so that customized awareness training can be provided to those individuals to improve their skills in identifying such attacks. Training typically involves sending simulated phishing emails to employees and tracking who clicks on links or provides data. Those users can then be enrolled in additional anti-phishing education.
Purpose
The purpose of phishing training is to evaluate employee vulnerability to phishing and improve an organization's human defense against cyber intrusions. Despite technological controls, humans are often the weakest link in security. Phishing emails rely on social engineering techniques which technical controls cannot always catch.
Regular phishing training aims to condition employees to be skeptical of unsolicited emails and links. Tracking susceptibility over time allows organizations to measure the effectiveness of training and awareness initiatives. Embedded training integrated into simulated attacks has proven more engaging and effective than traditional lecture-based learning.
Relevance
Phishing is one of the top threats facing organizations today. Verizon's 2022 Data Breach Investigations Report found that 36% of breaches involved phishing. Anti-phishing training is therefore a vital component of cybersecurity defense. Maintaining a strong human firewall complements and enhances technical security controls.
With the rising sophistication of phishing lures, continuous assessment and education is necessary as employees can fall prey even after initial training. Ongoing phishing simulations keep security top of mind. Integrating phishing training modules into the company culture can significantly improve resilience over time.
Also Known As
- Simulated phishing
- Phishing simulations
- Phish testing
- Phishing assessments
Components/Types
There are a few common types of phishing training:
Baseline Testing
An initial assessment used to gauge employee phishing awareness before training begins. This identifies areas of weakness to address in the program.
Programmatic Training
Regular simulated phishing attacks sent to employees over time. Typically uses templates based on real-world phishing lures. Tracks susceptibility rates to identify high-risk users needing remedial training.
Embedded Training
Simulated phishing emails that contain targeted teachable moments. Provides immediate feedback to help employees learn while being tested. Often uses real-world examples of subtle phishing attacks.
Spear Phishing
Highly customized phishing simulations targeting specific individuals with lures relevant to their role or interests. Tests resilience against tailored social engineering.
Executive Phishing
Spear phishing tests targeting senior executives. Measures vulnerability of high-value personnel who often have extensive access.
Post-Training Re-Tests
Follow-up assessments to evaluate retention of training and gauge longer-term impact on susceptibility rates.
Third-Party Phishing
Leverages external providers to conduct unbiased phishing tests. Adds realism since emails originate from an unknown sender.
Mobile Phishing
Assessments conducted across mobile devices/platforms which are increasing targets for phishers. Tests vulnerabilities on mobile.
Importance in Cybersecurity
Security Risks
The main security risk phishing training aims to address is employees falling victim to actual phishing attacks and enabling data breaches or financial fraud. Other risks include:
- Sensitive corporate data loss if users submit credentials or information in response to phishing lures.
- Malware or ransomware infection if users click links to sites hosting malicious files.
- Regulatory penalties, lawsuits, and reputation damage if customer PII is compromised via phishing.
- Business email compromise if users are tricked into sending funds to fraudsters.
Mitigation Strategies
- Conduct baseline phishing testing to identify susceptible users in need of education.
- Implement regularly scheduled simulated phishing attacks to keep employees alert.
- Provide embedded training content with teachable moments in phishing templates.
- Increase simulation difficulty periodically to challenge users as skills improve.
- Ensure training is continuous, not just one-off sessions. Evaluate retention via post-tests.
- Customize awareness content based on vulnerabilities observed in tests.
- Track simulation click rates to focus training on persistently risky departments/roles.
- Maintain comprehensive reporting to demonstrate due care and highlight awareness gaps.
Best Practices
- Start with a formal baseline assessment to identify weak spots and establish metrics.
- Test users continuously, not just annually. Monthly or quarterly simulations are optimal.
- Vary simulation timing rather than making training predictable. Avoid testing only on cybersecurity awareness days.
- Customize lure content to organizational risks. Leverage real-world templates based on latest threats.
- Integrate embedded training content into phishing templates to educate users directly.
- Ensure simulated phishing originates from domains likely to bypass email security filters.
- Use spear phishing lures tailored to different users with relevant social engineering.
- Test across both email and mobile platforms. Cybercriminals target mobile users.
- Automatically enroll users who fail simulations into refresher security awareness training.
- Verify training effectiveness via intermittent re-testing of past participants.
- Report metrics like number of users tested, failure rates, training hours, and click trends over time.
- Compare training click rates with real-world phishing click rates. Look for convergence.
- Maintain a safe testing environment with proper consent. Never use actual compromised sites.
- Encourage reporting of suspicious emails. Phishing simulations should reinforce security, not erode trust.
Related Terms
- Social Engineering - Manipulating users into divulging confidential information or taking dangerous actions. Employed in phishing lures.
- Business Email Compromise (BEC) - Sophisticated social engineering scams that hijack corporate email to redirect payments fraudulently.
- Malware - Malicious software installed via tactics like phishing to infiltrate systems and steal data.
- Spear Phishing - Highly targeted phishing attacks personalized to specific individuals. Used in training executives.
- Whaling - Spear phishing directed specifically at senior executives due to their high value.
Further Reading
More Information About Phishing Training
