Technical Review by
Laura Iannini
Adaptive Security uses generative AI to build custom phishing simulations covering deepfake video, audio, and voice attacks, targeting the social engineering threats that static template platforms miss.
Hoxhunt delivers AI-driven, personalized training that adapts to each employee’s skill level, with gamified leaderboards that turn phishing awareness into genuine engagement rather than checkbox compliance.
Arctic Wolf Managed Security Awareness combines Hollywood-quality video content with a fully managed service model that handles scheduling and content rotation without adding to your admin workload.
Security awareness training is one of those programs where everyone agrees it matters, nobody wants to run it, and the wrong platform guarantees failure. Most teams end up with annual checkbox exercises where employees sit through mandatory modules they ignore, alongside retain nothing and forget before the video ends.
Finding awareness content is the easy part. Finding content that actually changes behavior without consuming the security team’s life. You need training that employees don’t resent, simulations that create teachable moments instead of gotcha scenarios, and platforms that surface metrics that matter to leadership, not just completion percentages.
We evaluated 10 security awareness training and simulated phishing platforms, testing each for content quality, employee engagement, customization flexibility, integration depth, and the actual usability of the admin experience. We also reviewed customer feedback to understand where platforms deliver value and where the overhead becomes a barrier to adoption. What we found: the gap between ‘engage your workforce’ marketing and the friction teams actually experience is significant.
We reviewed 10 products and selected the top performers for different use cases.
Adaptive Security is a next-gen phishing simulation and security awareness platform built around AI-powered social engineering threats. The platform uses generative AI to create tailored, interactive simulations covering deepfake video, audio, and email/SMS phishing. Backed by over $50 million in funding from investors including OpenAI and a16z, it targets the specific threat vectors that traditional training platforms overlook.
The core differentiator is the generative AI content engine. We found the ability to build custom phishing simulations from scratch, including deepfake audio and video scenarios, sets Adaptive apart from platforms that rely on static template libraries. The simulations feel current because they draw from real-world attack patterns rather than recycled examples.
The modular campaign system supports fully custom creation. A real-time analytics dashboard tracks user responses across every simulation type, and automated Slack and email notifications keep participation rates high without manual chasing. We saw the interactive modules, like audio deepfakes of employee voices, land harder than traditional email-only tests.
Customers praise the realistic, AI-driven simulations for keeping content current as threats evolve. The customization options let admins tailor campaigns to specific roles and access levels, and the Outlook and Teams integration works smoothly. Support is responsive and hands-on during onboarding, with most teams reporting operational deployment within days.
Some customer reviews mention that the interactive training module library could offer more variety, however.
We think Adaptive fits best if your threat model includes AI-powered social engineering and your training content needs to reflect those risks. The deepfake and voice phishing simulations go well beyond what most awareness platforms offer. Smaller teams or organizations focused on basic compliance training may find the AI-first approach more than they need.
Hoxhunt is a security awareness training platform that uses AI-driven personalization and gamification to train employees on phishing detection and reporting. The platform assesses each user’s skill level based on their response history, then delivers bite-sized, interactive content focused on their weakest areas. Organizations can also build custom awareness content and run their own phishing campaigns alongside the automated program.
Training content adapts to individual skill levels, departments, geolocation, and language, with support for over 30 languages. We found this personalization approach more targeted than platforms that push identical content to every employee. The AI engine continuously recalibrates difficulty, so advanced users face harder simulations while newer employees build fundamentals.
The gamification is well-executed. Employees earn stars and badges for completing training and reporting phishing emails, then track their progress on a company-wide leaderboard. We saw the competitive element drive genuine engagement rather than checkbox completion. Phishing simulations deploy across email and MS Teams, with each scenario customized by role, skill level, and language.
Users highlight the gamified training approach for making security awareness feel engaging rather than routine. The Outlook reporting button makes flagging suspicious emails simple, and admins value the detailed analytics showing which topics users struggle with most. Teams report measurable improvements in phishing detection rates after the first quarter of deployment.
Some users note that the simulation volume can feel overwhelming during busy periods, however.
We think Hoxhunt works best for organizations that want personalized, behavior-driven training at scale. The AI-powered difficulty adjustment and multi-language support suit distributed workforces well. Teams that need heavy content customization or prefer a fully managed service model may want to weigh the self-service administration requirements.
Arctic Wolf Managed Security Awareness delivers microlearning-based security training for organizations that want engaging content without the management overhead. The platform combines Hollywood-style video content from their 2021 Habitu8 acquisition with a no-shame philosophy that educates rather than tricks employees.
The content quality stands out. We found the short-form videos and interactive lessons keep employees engaged without eating into productivity. Monthly touchpoints reinforce concepts over time rather than dumping everything into one annual session.
The phishing simulations include integrated follow-ups with educational content. We saw this approach creates teachable moments instead of gotcha scenarios. Compliance modules for HIPAA, FERPA, and PCI ship alongside standard security content.
Users report the training sparks actual conversations about security topics. The MFA fatigue module gets mentioned repeatedly as a favorite. Admins appreciate the hands-off option where Arctic Wolf handles scheduling and content rotation automatically.
We think this works best if your team lacks dedicated SAT resources or you’re replacing stale annual training. The managed service model means less internal overhead for your security team.
If you need heavy customization or granular self-service reporting, the standardized approach may not fit. For most mid-market organizations wanting quality content with minimal management, Arctic Wolf is worth evaluating.
AwareGo delivers security awareness training through short, story-driven video content designed using advertising industry techniques. The platform serves both SMB and enterprise customers with industry-specific modules for finance, healthcare, and insurance.
The content philosophy borrows from advertising: short videos, humor, storytelling. We found this approach makes dry security topics easier to absorb. Monthly releases of two new training videos keep the library fresh.
European organizations get strong language support. Content ships in eight languages with voiceovers, making localization straightforward. GDPR compliance training meets ISO 27001 and PCI-DSS standards. The drag-and-drop editor lets admins customize learning paths without technical overhead.
The Human Risk Assessment tool gets praise for going beyond basic training. Users say it captures employee risk data that phishing simulations miss. Setup is quick and the interface surfaces key metrics at a glance.
Customers flag customization limitations.
We think AwareGo works well if you need engaging video content with strong European language coverage. The advertising-style approach resonates with employees who tune out traditional training.
Curricula, acquired by Huntress in July 2022, applies behavioral science to security awareness training through story-driven content. The platform uses heroes, villains, and narrative arcs to make security concepts stick. Their AI hacker villain DeeDee ties phishing simulations directly into the storytelling.
The content library builds each module around memorable stories rather than slide decks. We found this approach aligns with how people actually retain information. Topics span phishing, passwords, ransomware, removable media, and social engineering.
Gamification adds engagement. Employees earn rewards for spotting and reporting DeeDee’s phishing attempts through the integrated reporting tool. We saw this creates positive reinforcement rather than punishment-based learning. The platform auto-syncs employee data, reducing manual setup work.
Users highlight the compliance tool integrations. Training completions sync automatically, eliminating manual tracking. The animations and storytelling approach get consistent praise for keeping employees engaged.
Some customers flag friction with new user enrollment.
We think Curricula fits organizations tired of checkbox compliance training. The behavioral science foundation and narrative approach work well for teams where traditional training gets ignored.
Infosec IQ provides security awareness training with over 2,000 resources across 34 languages. The platform emphasizes customization, letting organizations tailor nearly every training element to their security policies, employee roles, and compliance requirements.
The flexibility stands out. We found you can choose between gamified learning or traditional computer-based training depending on your culture. Training modules, infographics, posters, and email templates let you layer communications across multiple formats.
Role-based delivery automatically routes tailored content to employees based on their position and security aptitude. We saw this reduces the one-size-fits-all problem that plagues many SAT programs. The 34-language support with localized dashboards makes this practical for global deployments.
Users praise the content quality. Videos avoid the AI-generated feel that makes employees tune out. The reporting capabilities get high marks for depth and personalization. Customer service is consistently flagged as responsive and open to feedback.
Some customers cite UI friction.
We think Infosec IQ works well if your organization needs deep customization and multi-language support. The volume of resources gives you options most platforms lack.
KnowBe4 is the largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform on the market. Named a leader in the 2021 Forrester Wave, the platform scales for stretched IT teams with tiered content access and unlimited phishing simulations across all subscription levels.
The content library runs over 1,000 items deep. We found the tiered access model lets you match investment to need without artificial license caps. Interactive modules, games, videos, and their original series The Inside Man keep content varied.
Science-based assessments measure security culture posture and track employee development over time. We saw the Active Directory integration simplifies user management for larger deployments. Training covers social engineering across email, voice, text, and instant messaging.
Users highlight the constantly updated content library and dedicated success managers who stay engaged beyond onboarding. The platform effectively handles both training and phishing simulation requirements with minimal admin overhead.
Some customers flag that KnowBe4 trails competitors on modern features like AI integration, advanced gamification, and customization options.
We think KnowBe4 works best for mid-market and enterprise organizations needing a proven, scalable platform with deep content. The success manager model adds value if you want ongoing guidance.
NINJIO delivers security awareness training through Hollywood-style animated episodes built around real breaches. The 3-4 minute micro-learning format targets behavior change through emotional storytelling rather than compliance checkbox exercises. Their content is licensed by other SAT providers, which speaks to its market credibility.
Each monthly episode centers on an actual company breach, grounding abstract threats in concrete consequences. We found the animation quality reflects the Hollywood talent behind it. Quizzes follow each episode to reinforce retention.
NINJIO NANO condenses content to 90 seconds for time-pressed executives. We saw the flexibility in delivery helps adoption. Content streams or downloads to any device. Gamification through leaderboards rewards employees who complete episodes quickly and pass quizzes on the first attempt.
Users consistently highlight the storytelling approach as memorable and engaging. The real breach examples make threats tangible in ways that generic training misses. Employees actually watch these rather than clicking through.
Some customers note the short format limits depth. Each episode covers one concept without much detail. Others flag limited interactivity, wanting more hands-on elements beyond watching and quizzing.
We think NINJIO works well if employee engagement is your primary challenge. The production quality and storytelling approach cuts through the noise that makes traditional training forgettable.
SANS Institute brings its reputation for professional security training to the awareness space. The platform serves over 165,000 IT security professionals with video and quiz-based content available in 31 languages. Their approach emphasizes multi-step learning paths with tiered campaigns targeting different groups within your organization.
The content reflects SANS’ deep security background. We found the phishing library extensive and continuously updated to match evolving threats. Customizable simulation campaigns let you tailor scenarios to your environment.
Administration and reporting run from the same platform, consolidating your data in one place. We saw the tiered campaign structure helps target specific roles without blasting generic content to everyone. Industry-specific modules address sector requirements alongside core human risk topics.
Users praise the hands-on approach over pure theory. Instructors get consistently high marks for experience and expertise. The variety of delivery options including live, on-demand, and in-person training gives flexibility.
Customer service draws criticism. Some customers report poor onboarding support with unanswered requests for SCORM files and missed implementation timelines. Pricing sits at the premium end, which may strain budgets without organizational sponsorship.
We think SANS fits organizations that value the credibility and depth their security expertise brings. The 31-language support and customizable campaigns work well for global, complex environments.
TitanHQ SafeTitan launched after acquiring Cyber Risk Aware in early 2022, combining security awareness training with real-time phishing simulation. The platform targets MSPs and mid-market organizations with automatic campaigns, SCORM compliance, and an affordable price point across two tiers: Enterprise and Platinum.
The Phish Maestro platform handles simulation and analysis through an Azure-based interface. We found the automatic campaign scheduling reduces ongoing management overhead. Once configured, training runs without constant attention.
Reporting includes phish risk analysis and compromised email reports that identify exposed accounts. We saw the PhishUK Alert Button integrates directly into inboxes for reporting suspicious emails. GDPR and international data protection training ship alongside core security content. Unlimited access to training materials removes consumption concerns.
MSPs highlight the automatic campaign features and reasonable pricing as key differentiators. Users praise the low-maintenance model and quality content. Rolling out training across client environments is straightforward.
Support consistency draws mixed feedback. Some customers report feature requests sitting untouched for over a year and tickets on hold for six months. Others get immediate responses. M365 tenant setup takes longer than some competitors.
We think SafeTitan works well for MSPs managing multiple clients or mid-market teams wanting set-and-forget automation. The price point and unlimited content access make budgeting predictable.
When evaluating security awareness platforms, we’ve identified seven essential criteria that separate platforms employees use from ones they ignore.
Weight these criteria based on your constraints. Managed service teams value hands-off administration over customization. Global organizations need strong language support and role-based delivery. Compliance-heavy industries prioritize audit-ready reporting. Smaller teams watch budget closely and need the content to drive behavior change without admin overhead.
Expert Insights is an independent editorial team evaluating security and infrastructure solutions. Our assessments are based purely on product quality. Vendor relationships never influence our scores or conclusions before publication.
We evaluated 10 security awareness training and phishing simulation platforms. We assessed content quality and variety, enrollment workflows, admin console usability, reporting depth, phishing simulation integration, and the actual experience of managing training across different user types and scales.
Beyond hands-on evaluation, we conducted market research examining the awareness training market and reviewed customer feedback to identify gaps between vendor claims and operational reality. We examined how different platforms handle common scenarios: onboarding large user populations, managing phishing campaigns at scale, generating compliance reports, and keeping platforms usable without dedicated staff.
This guide is updated quarterly. For full details on our evaluation process, visit our How We Test & Review Products.
The best awareness platform depends on your team size, budget, language requirements, and how much administrative overhead you can absorb. There’s no universal solution.
For organizations facing AI-powered social engineering threats, Adaptive Security builds custom deepfake and voice phishing simulations that go well beyond standard email templates. If personalized, behavior-driven training is the priority, Hoxhunt adapts difficulty to each employee and uses gamification to sustain engagement across distributed teams.
For managed service with minimal overhead, Arctic Wolf Managed Security Awareness delivers quality content and automated scheduling. KnowBe4 offers the largest content library (1,000+ items) and remains the scale leader for mid-market and enterprise organizations.
If behavioral science and storytelling matter, Curricula makes security concepts stick. Infosec IQ delivers if customization across 34 languages and 2,000+ resources is your priority.
For engagement-focused approaches, NINJIO and AwareGo use storytelling and humor to cut through training fatigue. SANS Institute brings unmatched credibility for organizations valuing industry expertise and hands-on training.
For MSPs managing multiple clients, TitanHQ SafeTitan automates campaigns and simplifies multi-tenant operations. All these platforms integrate phishing simulations.
Read the individual reviews above to dig into content variety, customization depth, and the implementation overhead that matters for your team.
Security Awareness Content And Development solutions are training programs deployed by IT admins for their company’s users to train them on potential cybersecurity risks and dangers, and what actions they can take to mitigate and prevent those risks. It’s important to have your employees properly trained on potential cybersecurity risks, as often the only thing that ends up standing in the way of a security breach and your company is your users.
There are a huge number of Security Awareness solutions on the market today, coming in a variety of shapes and sizes. In the majority of cases, training is delivered via a series of short, online course with multiple modules that cover areas of potential risk within a company and what users can do to prevent serious breaches and data leaks from happening.
Important topics will cover things like email phishing scams (malicious emails sent by attackers that carry malware or links to harmful websites), educating employees on what they are, how to spot one, and to respond accordingly when they get one in their inbox. Many may include simulation, involving sending realistic-looking phishing emails to users, designed to test people’s ability to spot the real thing.
While email-borne threats are often the focus of these training sessions, programs also cover a range of other topics which can prove useful, which we’ll look at a bit later.
These solutions work to promote more security conscious behaviors in users by delivering engaging, digestible, and effective training designed to improve awareness of cyber security risks and make second-guessing and evaluating all communications they receive a standard practice. Cyber attacks are ever changing and unavoidable; your workforce will undoubtedly be approached by threat actors looking to exploit them for assets or information, and since you can’t prevent this communication from happening you owe it to your workforce to put them in the very best position to deal with it. A solution designed to educate them on potential security threats and what they should do if a mistake is made, or a breach is carried out, is essential to supporting organization-wide security.
Clicks or downloads from phishing emails are how most malware gains entry to company networks, with 32% of all successful breaches involving the use of phishing techniques and 91% of all attacks starting out with a phishing email. The increasing cost required to successfully penetrate software means it is becoming more and more common for attackers to focus on methods like phishing to trick users, capitalizing on the prevalence of human error.
It is important for employees to recognize the signs of a phishing attack and to have a process in place to report such attacks when they spot them. Many SAT programs offer phishing simulation exercises that make use of a library of phishing email templates to give employees the know-how to spot the common signs of a phishing attempt.
The best security awareness training solutions offer hundreds of phishing templates so you can simulate a variety of different types of malicious emails (including ones with attachments, embedded links and requests for personal data). They will also provide reporting which shows how effective each individual user is at avoiding the pitfalls. This allows you to identify those in your organization most in need of SAT and provide them with additional support.
Social engineering techniques are non-technical methods of accessing your networks and systems using tricks and manipulation. Email phishing is the most prevalent example of social engineering, but there are other lesser-known examples (spear phishing, baiting, malware, pretexting, tailgating, vishing, water-holing) that employees should be able to recognize.
Attacks involving phishing or social engineering account for 32-33% of all cyber security attacks, so ensuring that your employees are aware of the potential pitfalls is valuable. To best protect against social engineering, we recommend looking for an SAT solution designed specifically to train the parts of the brain associated with threat detection and response, using humor and repetition to train employees to resist manipulative exploitative techniques. You can read our guide to the top phishing awareness training solutions here.
Countless organizations worldwide made the decision to have their employees work from home after the outbreak of COVID-19 and many of them will continue allowing remote working going forward. Due to this, SAT for remote workers has become a priority for many organizations who understand how vital it is to maintain their cyber-hygiene.
Cyber attackers tend to look for easy vulnerabilities to exploit in their attempts, so its unsurprising that some 91% of businesses saw a spike in the volume of cyber-attacks being directed their way after the pandemic hit. Employees moving their workspace from the office to their homes led to an adjustment period, as businesses and workers struggled to make the necessary changes quickly and safely. This created the perfect opportunity for cybercriminals to take advantage.
For companies concerned about how the move from office-life to remote working has impacted their security, training for their remote employees is a worthwhile investment. Many security awareness training providers offer remote working training as a part of their content library, allowing you to ensure your workers are securely adjusted and able to stay vigilant against attacks and risky behaviors in their new working environment.
As our world becomes more and more digitally connected, secure browsing know-how has become essential knowledge. Learning the importance of using varied passwords, not sharing personal information like our dates of birth or our first pets’ names on social media, and not connecting to public Wi-Fi may seem obvious, but for plenty of less technically inclined workers, an SAT solution which covers these topics can be very helpful. Employing safe internet habits – in all contexts, but particularly at work – is an excellent way to boost overall business security.
This need for a savvy, well-informed approach extends also to social media. Employees typically know the policies in place covering their use of social media at work, but it is important that they also take steps in their personal lives to remains safe and secure. A strong security mindset at home will help users to have a better approach to security issues in the workplace.
When it comes to a malicious employee who has infiltrated your business for nefarious purposes, there is no amount of training that can prevent this outright. However, by providing employees with training that teaches them about the common indicators and behaviors that may signal a potential insider threat, you will encourage them to feel comfortable coming forward to share their concerns.
Insider threats are a less common issue facing businesses; they are not nearly as prevalent as, say, email phishing attacks. But still, with 68% of organizations considering themselves moderately to extremely vulnerable to insider attacks, it is clearly a risk worth considering. There are awareness training providers available which include insider threat training, but these are typically included in more enterprise-focused solutions.
If a security incident does occur – whether it be deliberate or accidental – employees have the potential to make a massive difference to the outcome through their reactions. When employees feel empowered to come to you with their concerns and understand what steps they should take when they suspect they may have made a mistake, this could save you precious time and allow you to take action sooner to mitigate the damage.
There are security awareness training solutions available that put a lot of emphasis on the goal of fostering a culture of reporting. Strong solutions will cover the common ways sensitive information may be compromised, which information is considered ‘protected’, examples of incidents that may occur (both in physical workspaces and digitally) as well as the appropriate actions to take after an incident has been reported.
There are a number of private industry guidelines and regulations that exist to keep valuable and sensitive information secure. Not every organization will follow the same laws and regulations, but certain industries (finance, legal, healthcare) will need particular support as there are a number of important legal regulations to cover.
Your employees likely will not need to be experts on these rules, but they may need to be kept up to date on how the rules apply to your organization directly.
Data privacy and good cybersecurity should always go together. While many users will have no issues recognizing which pieces of information count as personal or sensitive and will understand how to handle, store and dispose is this information, this may not be the case for every employee. Part of your security awareness initiative and training should certainly cover these basics.
On average the cost of a data breach in 2021 was $4.24 million, a 10% increase from 2020. Researchers found that around 88% of all data breaches could be traced back to human error. Worrying statisitcs like these are usually all that is needed to illustrate to people the importance of SAT, but it is true that not everyone is convinced.
For some, the expenditure of time and money it takes to put employees through SAT is enough to put them off the idea, especially since no amount of training can eliminate the possibility for error altogether. However, there are several studies available indicating that using SAT (including ongoing training to keep up with the constantly evolving methods used by cybercriminals) can result in an up to 70% reduction in the risk of socially engineered cyber threats. Considering the potential massive cost and other serious repercussions to a successful cyber-attack, any action an organization can take to significantly reduce their window for error is a worthwhile investment.
There are more benefits to utilizing SAT beyond the prevention of breaches. Some of these include:
What we mean by creating a culture of security, is that the values you want to instill in your employees (such as the importance of security) become woven into the fabric of your business. Using interactive training and making an ongoing investment in the education of your workforce on matters of security is an excellent way to nurture their sense of personal investment in the wellbeing of the company and to promote the notion that they are the first line of defense against cyberthreats.
We strongly recommend that alongside security awareness training you have a strong layer of technological protection in place, including a secure email gateway, and endpoint protection. These defenses are highly valuable in your efforts to prevent breaches; however, knowledgeable people are required to keep these defenses running to their full potential.
Also, attackers today are not targeting only through technological means. Today’s cyber attackers understand that people are easier to hack than technology. So, the best thing you can do is make sure both your technology and your people are up to date security-wise and able to work in conjuncture with each other to keep your organization safe.
The very real threat of cyber-attack is not news to most customers these days. People are aware of the persistence of these attackers and understand what consequences there may be if a business they are a customer of is successfully breached. A survey found that 43% of the companies taking part in the study had suffered reputation loss and negative customer experiences as a result of a successful cyber-attack.
Customers do in fact take notice of a business’s security credentials, so taking proactive steps towards improving cyber security is likely to inspire a greater level of trust and loyalty.
Implementing SAT may be, for some industries, a regulatory requirement. But organizations should be wary of considering SAT a necessary compliance rather than a beneficial security measure and risk doing the bare minimum. You will get the most out of your SAT if you view it not as a checking boxes exercise, but as a worthy investment into your security and your people.
There are some problems with security awareness training to be aware of. Some businesses rely too heavily on SAT; placing the bulk of the pressure onto employees not to fall for scams, thereby abdicating their responsibility to protect the business and its employees. Security against digital risks is a responsibility that all employees within the organization can play a part in maintaining, but there is a risk that reliance on SAT may lead to users disproportionately receiving blame if a data breach does occur.
Creating a culture of fear and blame when it comes to security may undermine your efforts to form a trusting relationship with your employees and strengthen your security culture. Too much fear of punishment for mistakes could lead to users feeling resentful, perhaps even too intimidated to come forward quickly if they suspect a mistake has been made.
Mirren McDade is a senior writer and journalist at Expert Insights, spending each day researching, writing, editing and publishing content, covering a variety of topics and solutions, and interviewing industry experts.
She is an experienced copywriter with a background in a range of industries, including cloud business technologies, cloud security, information security and cyber security, and has conducted interviews with several industry experts.
Mirren holds a First Class Honors degree in English from Edinburgh Napier University.
Laura Iannini is a Cybersecurity Analyst at Expert Insights. With deep cybersecurity knowledge and strong research skills, she leads Expert Insights’ product testing team, conducting thorough tests of product features and in-depth industry analysis to ensure that Expert Insights’ product reviews are definitive and insightful.
Laura also carries out wider analysis of vendor landscapes and industry trends to inform Expert Insights’ enterprise cybersecurity buyers’ guides, covering topics such as security awareness training, cloud backup and recovery, email security, and network monitoring. Prior to working at Expert Insights, Laura worked as a Senior Information Security Engineer at Constant Edge, where she tested cybersecurity solutions, carried out product demos, and provided high-quality ongoing technical support.
Laura holds a Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity from the University of West Florida.