Best 11 Security Awareness Training Solutions For Business (2026)
We reviewed 11 security awareness training platforms on content engagement, simulation realism, and behavioral change metrics. The best ones show measurable risk reduction; the weakest ones show completion rates.
Written by
Joel Witts
Technical Review by
Craig MacAlpine
Quick Summary
Security awareness training platforms combine educational content, phishing simulations, and behavioral reporting to reduce the human risk that underlies the majority of security incidents. Training that measures only completion rates does not demonstrate risk reduction; effective platforms track behavioral change over time. We reviewed 11 platforms and found Phished, Adaptive Security, and TitanHQ Security Awareness Training, powered by CyberSentriq, to be the strongest on content quality, simulation realism, and behavioral change metrics.
Human error remains the leading cause of security breaches. Employees click malicious links, share credentials through social engineering, and download infected attachments. Yet traditional security awareness training often bores audiences into compliance theater rather than genuine behavior change.
Modern awareness platforms combine phishing simulations, micro-learning modules, and behavioral risk scoring to measure and reduce actual security mistakes. The challenge is choosing a platform that balances admin effort with genuine engagement and measurable risk reduction.
We evaluated 11 security awareness training solutions across training effectiveness, ease of deployment, reporting depth, phishing simulation capabilities, and support quality. We evaluated each for both compliance-focused and risk-reduction-focused deployments to understand where platforms deliver versus where they fall short in practice.
This guide gives you the framework to select an awareness platform that your team will actually use and that measurably reduces human-caused security risk.
Our Recommendations
Your ideal awareness platform depends on your team size, compliance requirements, engagement priorities, and how much admin overhead you’re willing to accept.
- Best For Automation And Low Maintenance: Phished and TitanHQ, powered by CyberSentriq, both run training on autopilot with minimal ongoing admin effort.
- Best For Advanced Threat Simulation: Adaptive Security uses GenAI to create custom phishing, deepfake, and voice phishing simulations.
- Best For Employee Engagement And Compliance: ESET and KnowBe4 both prioritize gamified learning and real-time reporting.
- Best For Consolidated Management: IRONSCALES integrates email threat detection with awareness training from a single console.
Phished is a security awareness training platform that automates phishing simulations and micro-learning for organizations of any size. The platform uses machine learning to tailor simulations to each individual user’s click patterns, which is a meaningful differentiator from platforms that send the same template to everyone. We think it’s a strong option for organizations that want to reduce phishing risk with minimal ongoing management.
Phished Key Features
Phished auto-generates simulation content and schedules campaigns on a custom cadence, recommending every 15 days. Simulations cover BEC, insider threats, and spear-phishing. Users can report suspected phishing via a button in their Microsoft 365 client or by forwarding when using other clients; correct reports are congratulated, while failures trigger training at the point of failure. The Phished Academy delivers bite-sized micro-learning modules with articles and limited video content, and admins can create quizzes. The Behavioral Risk Score tracks each employee’s interactions with simulated threats over time, helping security teams identify which users remain susceptible. Reporting covers individual users and departments, with Hall of Fame and Wall of Shame views for top reporters and most phished users.
Our Take
We were impressed by how much Phished delivers with how little ongoing effort. Configuring a campaign takes minutes, and once set up, simulations run on schedule without extra work. The personalization is the real strength; because every user receives simulations based on their own click history, testing is more accurate than a one-size-fits-all approach. Something to be aware of is that the training content library is limited and doesn’t provide enough material for comprehensive awareness training across a range of topics. If you need a full training library, you may need to supplement Phished with additional content. Templates and training are available in nine languages, though Spanish content is limited.
Strengths
- ML-driven simulations personalized to each user's click history and patterns
- Autonomous campaign scheduling eliminates manual simulation management
- Behavioral Risk Score tracks individual progress and highlights repeat offenders
- Training assigned at point of failure on the specific topic the user missed
- Integrates with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace
Cautions
- Training content library is limited; not enough for full-spectrum awareness training
- Spanish language content is limited; most material in Dutch and English
Adaptive Security is an AI-native security awareness training platform built around advanced social engineering threats like deepfakes, voice phishing, and AI-generated attacks. Backed by $136 million in total funding from the OpenAI Startup Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, and Bain Capital Ventures, it’s one of the fastest-moving vendors in the awareness training space. We think it fits best if your threat model includes AI-powered social engineering and you need training that reflects those risks.
Adaptive Security Key Features
The GenAI content builder is the core differentiator. You create custom training modules and phishing simulations from scratch using AI, tailored to your specific business scenarios. The deepfake and voice phishing simulations create realistic attack scenarios that go well beyond typical email templates. Direct mail injection for Outlook avoids email gateway link scanning, cutting down on false positives. We found the audio deepfake simulations particularly sharp; they create realistic impersonations of employees to demonstrate exactly how AI-powered social engineering works in practice. Automated Slack and email notifications keep participation rates high without manual follow-up.
What Customers Say
Customers consistently highlight fast deployment, with M365 and Google Workspace connections coming together in days rather than weeks. Support is responsive and ships frequent updates that keep content current with evolving threats. The Microsoft Teams integration is highlighted as a practical addition. Something to be aware of is that some users note reporting exports lack the flexibility needed for executive stakeholder presentations.
Our Take
We were impressed by the depth of the GenAI content builder and the multi-channel simulation capabilities. Adaptive moves faster than most vendors in this category, and the customization depth is hard to match. If you only need basic email phishing simulations, you’re paying for capability you won’t use, but for teams facing AI-powered threats, this is well worth considering.
Strengths
- GenAI content builder creates custom simulations tailored to your business
- Deepfake and voice phishing simulations go beyond standard email platforms
- Direct mail injection avoids email gateway false positives
- Fast M365 deployment with responsive support and frequent updates
Cautions
- Users report reporting exports lack flexibility for stakeholder presentations
- Newer vendor with less long-term market track record than established competitors
TitanHQ, powered by CyberSentriq, offers a behavior-driven security awareness training platform that pairs gamified micro-learning with automated phishing simulations. We think it fits MSPs and smaller teams that need affordable, automated awareness training without heavy admin overhead. The short session format and post-training simulation reinforcement create a practical learning loop.
TitanHQ, powered by CyberSentriq Key Features
Training videos run 8 to 10 minutes, which keeps completion rates up and avoids the fatigue of longer modules. We found the immediate post-training phishing tests particularly effective; users get a simulation right after completing a module, reinforcing concepts while the material is fresh. The phishing simulation library runs into the thousands with regular weekly updates, and SCORM compliance allows LMS integration for organizations running custom content. A single management portal handles campaigns, users, and reporting across all client tenants at an affordable price point.
What Customers Say
Customers praise the low-upkeep model. Set up your campaigns, schedule them, and the platform handles the rest. MSP-focused design supports multi-tenant management from a single console. Something to be aware of is that some customer reviews note support response times can be inconsistent, with some tickets sitting unresolved for extended periods. M365 tenant setup also takes longer than some competing platforms.
Our Take
We were impressed by the post-training simulation reinforcement, which creates a learning loop most competitors lack. For teams that value automation over customization depth, TitanHQ, powered by CyberSentriq, delivers a practical, budget-friendly approach to security awareness training. Teams needing responsive support should factor in the inconsistency flagged in customer feedback.
Strengths
- Short 8-10 minute sessions keep employee completion rates consistently high
- Immediate post-training phishing tests reinforce learning while content is fresh
- Thousands of templates with weekly updates and SCORM compliance
- Affordable pricing suited to MSPs managing multiple client environments
Cautions
- Customers note support response times can be inconsistent
- Reviews flag M365 tenant setup is slower than competing platforms
ESET Cybersecurity Awareness Training uses gamified, interactive modules to build lasting security habits. We think it works well for organizations where passive video-based training hasn’t produced results and engagement rates have been low.
ESET Cybersecurity Awareness Training Key Features
The gamified approach sets ESET apart. Role-playing, interactive quizzes, and scenario-based sessions make the content stick in ways that passive video training doesn’t. Modules are short and focused, ensuring users aren’t overloaded with information. The phishing simulation library offers prebuilt and customizable templates with no deployment limits, and users who fail a simulation are automatically enrolled in refresher courses. Reputation scoring assigns each user a score based on quiz performance, and leaderboards encourage improvement. An Office 365 plugin enables suspicious email reporting from the inbox. ECAT supports HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOX, NIST, ISO/IEC 27001, GDPR, and CCPA compliance, and some insurers recognize completion for premium reductions.
Our Take
We were impressed by how the gamification drives genuinely higher completion rates than most platforms we reviewed. The content works across skill levels, and the short modules mean admins can target specific training to users who need it. Setup is efficient; employee emails import via CSV and courses deploy within a few clicks. Pricing starts at $250 for 10 users on the premium plan, with a free plan covering approximately 60 minutes of training. ESET’s licensing model lets you reassign accounts when employees are offboarded, which helps with cost management. With that said, the platform does not support multiple languages, which is a limitation for multinational teams. If your team needs engaging, compliance-aligned training that drives real behavior change, ESET is well worth considering.
Strengths
- Gamified training with role-playing and interactive quizzes keeps engagement high
- Automatic enrollment in refresher courses when users fail simulations
- Supports HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOX, NIST, ISO/IEC 27001, GDPR, and CCPA
- License reassignment for offboarded employees
Cautions
- Does not support multiple languages
- Reviews mention the admin dashboard has a learning curve for user assignment
IRONSCALES is a cloud-based platform that bundles AI-driven email threat detection with built-in security awareness training and phishing simulations. We think it fits best if you want email security and awareness training under one roof, tied to real threat intelligence. The Themis AI engine auto-classifies suspicious emails while the training side runs simulations personalized to the threats actually hitting your inbox.
IRONSCALES Key Features
The real differentiator is how training ties directly to actual attack data. Phishing simulations and awareness campaigns are personalized based on the threats hitting your inbox, not generic templates pulled from a library. The Themis AI engine auto-classifies suspicious emails and improves continuously as you tune it. We found the platform catches threats that Microsoft 365 Defender and Advanced Threat Protection miss, which adds real value as a supplementary layer. The one-click report phishing button for Outlook makes it simple for employees to flag suspicious emails, and setup typically takes under an hour through native API integration with no changes to mail flow.
What Customers Say
Customers with multi-year deployments praise the time savings from centralizing email incident management in one portal rather than sorting through layers of Microsoft alerts. Support gets consistently positive marks for responsiveness. Something to be aware of is that some customer reviews mention the interface takes time to learn, with settings scattered and difficult to locate initially. Reporting and automation capabilities also lack depth compared to some standalone training platforms.
Our Take
We were impressed by the integration between real email security and awareness training. The feedback loop where training is personalized based on actual attacks creates genuine operational value that standalone platforms can’t replicate. If you need both threat detection and employee training from a single console, IRONSCALES is well worth considering.
Strengths
- Training personalized based on actual attack data hitting your organization
- Themis AI catches phishing threats that Microsoft 365 Defender misses
- Native API deployment takes under an hour with no mail flow disruption
- One-click Outlook reporting button simplifies employee threat flagging
Cautions
- Customers note interface settings are hard to find during initial onboarding
- Reviews flag reporting and automation capabilities lack depth and flexibility
Hoxhunt is a security awareness platform that uses AI-driven personalization and gamification to train employees on phishing detection and reporting. We think it works best for enterprise teams that need multi-language, department-specific training at scale. The personalization depth is hard to match, and the gamification keeps participation rates high without forcing compliance through mandates.
Hoxhunt Key Features
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 send the same simulations to every employee. Phishing tests escalate in difficulty as users improve, keeping the challenge relevant for both new hires and experienced staff. The gamification is well-executed; leaderboards let employees compete against coworkers, teams, and even other organizations. The immediate feedback loop is a real strength: when you report an email, the platform tells you exactly what was suspicious and why.
What Customers Say
Customers consistently praise the realistic simulations and engaging format. The Outlook integration makes reporting suspicious emails fast and accessible, and people actually want to participate, which is rare for security training. Teams report measurable improvements in phishing detection rates after the first quarter of deployment. Something to be aware of is that some customer reviews mention missed simulation scoring penalizes employees on leave or when emails fail to deliver, and failure explanations on harder phishing tests can lack detail.
Our Take
We were impressed by the adaptive difficulty model and how the competitive leaderboard drives genuine engagement rather than checkbox completion. The 30-plus language support and department-level targeting make Hoxhunt well suited to large distributed workforces. If you need training that scales with user sophistication, it’s well worth considering.
Strengths
- AI adapts phishing difficulty to each employee's skill level over time
- Leaderboards and gamification create genuine motivation to participate
- Over 30 languages with department-level targeting for distributed workforces
- Immediate post-report feedback explains what made each email suspicious
Cautions
- Reviews mention missed simulation scoring penalizes employees on leave
- Customers note failure explanations on harder tests can lack detail
Huntress is a managed cybersecurity platform designed for MSPs and businesses of all sizes, offering purpose-built cybersecurity solutions to defend against cyberattacks. This includes a 24/7 SOC to fully manage your identity threat detection and response, endpoint detection and response, and security monitoring alongside managed SAT. We think Huntress stands out as the only provider on this list that delivers SAT completely managed on your behalf, reducing administrative labor dramatically.
Huntress Key Features
Huntress has focused on building an SAT that is genuinely engaging for your users. The platform provides extensive content libraries, with training delivered via highly engaging 7-10 minute episodes built by a team of Emmy-winning animators, covering security basics and advanced topics. Because learning plans and phishing campaigns are completely managed, you will find the platform very easy to use, supported by pre-built integrations that automate deployment. You gain access to granular reporting capabilities to track trends over time, based on your compliance requirements. The complete Huntress suite gives you a managed security stack including SAT, identity threat protection, EDR, and SIEM.
Our Take
We think Huntress is a strong fit for MSPs that need a fully managed security solution to offer clients without increasing internal labor costs, or IT teams looking for a fully managed SAT solution backed by a trusted 24/7 SOC. The content is written by experts and informed by Huntress’s own threat detection telemetry, ensuring simulations reflect the real-world risks they see across millions of endpoints and identities.
Strengths
- Very easy to deploy and manage with pre-built integrations to automate onboarding
- Engaging user awareness training and simulations with a custom content creator
- Supported by a trusted global SOC team with leading analysis of threat trends
- Fast support responses and clear documentation
- Granular reporting capabilities to track trends based on compliance requirements
Cautions
- Some customers report pricing for the complete Huntress suite may be a barrier to new MSPs
- Training content is primarily suited for English-speaking teams
Arctic Wolf Managed Security Awareness
Arctic Wolf Managed Security Awareness is a fully managed microlearning and phishing simulation program designed to reduce human risk with minimal admin effort. We think it fits organizations that want effective awareness training without building or managing the program internally. The Concierge Security Team and Hollywood-quality content from the 2021 Habitu8 acquisition set it apart from self-serve platforms.
Arctic Wolf Managed Security Awareness Key Features
The microlearning model keeps sessions short, delivered directly via email with no passwords or portal logins required. We found this no-login delivery model removes the biggest barrier to training completion. Content updates continuously based on emerging threats, so employees see material that reflects what’s actually hitting inboxes. Phishing simulations come pre-packaged with automatic post-click remediation, and reported emails get automated threat-level scoring. The fully managed content schedule handles creation, scheduling, and delivery, so your team stays hands-off after initial setup. Compliance modules for HIPAA, FERPA, and PCI ship alongside core security content.
What Customers Say
Customers highlight the Concierge Security Team as a standout, with regular check-ins that help identify gaps and optimize configuration. The onboarding process gets consistently positive marks, with guided implementation that adapts to your setup. Something to be aware of is that some customer reviews mention the managed model limits ability to build custom training for company-specific needs, and the risk dashboard alert volume can feel overwhelming before tuning is complete.
Our Take
We were impressed by the managed service model combined with genuinely high production-value content. The Concierge Security Team adds a level of ongoing support that self-serve platforms can’t match. If your team lacks dedicated security awareness staff and wants a hands-off program, Arctic Wolf is well worth considering.
Strengths
- Email-delivered sessions with no login required boost completion rates
- Fully managed content schedule eliminates ongoing admin work
- Concierge Security Team provides guided onboarding and regular reviews
- Built-in compliance modules for HIPAA, FERPA, and PCI
Cautions
- Customers note the managed model limits custom training for company-specific needs
- Reviews flag the risk dashboard can feel overwhelming before tuning
Cofense PhishMe
Cofense (formerly PhishMe) has a focus on making employees safer against threats by offering software solutions. These include automated phishing responses to help protect businesses from attack. They offer a range of simulated phishing campaigns that are flexible and highly customizable, with an Outlook plugin and support on mobiles.
Cofense PhishMe Key Features
Cofense offers a range of pre-prepared phishing scenarios, including landing pages and malicious attachments, that can be customized. The intelligence-backed simulation engine pulls from active threat data to build scenarios based on attacks currently circulating in the wild, which produces more realistic simulations than static template libraries. SmartSuggest recommends simulation scenarios based on your organization’s profile, and ResponsiveDelivery means users only receive simulated phishing emails when they are most active in their mailbox. The one-click Report Phishing button turns employees into frontline sensors for your SOC, feeding flagged emails directly into Cofense Triage for analysis and Cofense Vision for inbox-level quarantine. Multi-lingual content covers phishing, ransomware, BEC, malware, and social engineering. Alongside PhishMe, Cofense offers a full security awareness LMS with training materials delivered in short modules.
What Customers Say
Customers praise the phishing detection and reporting workflow. The Report Phishing button integration is the feature that gets used most consistently, with minimal friction for end users. The platform’s machine learning improves classification over time. Something to be aware of is that some customer reviews highlight campaign administration is resource-intensive, and repetitive simulations risk creating user fatigue over extended deployments. Logs also default to UTC format, which has caused missed alerts for teams in other time zones.
Our Take
We were impressed by the real-time threat intelligence driving simulation content and the closed-loop connection between employee reporting and active remediation. SmartSuggest is a practical feature that takes guesswork out of campaign planning. We recommend Cofense for mid-sized to large organizations looking for powerful, intelligence-driven phishing simulations. If you have a lean team without capacity for ongoing campaign management, the admin overhead is worth factoring in.
Strengths
- Simulations built on real-time threat intelligence from active attack campaigns
- SmartSuggest recommends scenarios tailored to your organization's risk profile
- Report Phishing button feeds directly into SOC triage and inbox quarantine
- Multi-lingual content covering phishing, ransomware, BEC, and social engineering
Cautions
- Reviews mention campaign administration is resource-intensive
- Users report repetitive simulations cause fatigue over extended deployments
KnowBe4
KnowBe4 is a market leading Security Awareness Training vendor. They offer both free and paid for training tools and simulated phishing campaigns. The service is easy to install and is hugely effective at increasing the overall security of a business by training users to identify and avoid phishing campaigns.
KnowBe4 Key Features
KnowBe4 offers a huge library of security awareness training content, with over 1,000 training resources available in 35 languages, including interactive modules, videos, games, posters, and newsletters. They also offer a full phishing simulation platform, allowing organizations to create custom templates and campaigns. The personalization engine assigns training and phishing simulations based on individual employee behaviors and risk profiles rather than blanket campaigns, and the organizational risk score breaks down where your phishing campaign focus should be. The AIDA (Artificial Intelligence Defense Agents) system within the Diamond tier automates training assignments based on individual user risk scores. Over 60 built-in reports support tracking and industry benchmarking.
What Customers Say
Customers praise the content quality and multi-language support, especially for global organizations. The Phish Alert button and mobile Learner App keep reporting and training accessible across devices. Dedicated success managers who stay engaged beyond onboarding draw consistent praise. Something to be aware of is that some users note campaign setup is time-consuming and lacks streamlined point-and-click admin workflows, and some training modules feel repetitive after multiple annual cycles.
Our Take
KnowBe4 also offers reporting and insights to track the effectiveness of your security awareness training campaigns, with the option to generate training reports for specific users or groups to help organizations ensure their most at-risk users are engaging with materials. We were impressed by the content library depth and the organizational risk scoring that gives security teams clear direction on where to focus. On average, KnowBe4 reduces an organization’s phish-prone percentage from 30% to less than 5% after 12 months. The KnowBe4 platform is a strong option for organizations of all sizes looking to implement a security awareness training platform.
Strengths
- Over 1,000 training resources across 35 languages with regular updates
- Organizational risk score prioritizes phishing campaign focus and resource allocation
- AIDA AI agents automate training assignments based on individual risk scores
- Range of free tools help organizations test employee security awareness
Cautions
- Users report campaign setup is time-consuming without streamlined admin workflows
- Customers note some training modules feel repetitive after multiple cycles
Proofpoint ZenGuide
Proofpoint is one of the world’s leading email security vendors. In 2018, Proofpoint acquired Wombat Security, which is now sold as Proofpoint ZenGuide (formerly PSAT). This platform offers personalized security awareness training, based on Proofpoint’s threat intelligence. We think it makes the most sense for larger enterprises already invested in the Proofpoint email security ecosystem, where the threat intelligence pipeline and email security integration create value that standalone awareness platforms can’t replicate easily.
Proofpoint ZenGuide Key Features
Proofpoint’s training materials are popular with users. They offer a growing library of training content, including modules, videos, posters, images, and articles, designed to promote better security behaviors. Training materials are available in 35 languages, with each module taking around 15 minutes to complete. The strongest capability is the threat intelligence integration; you can take actual phishing attempts hitting your organization, neutralize them, and repurpose them as simulation material. The platform offers over 700 phishing templates across email, SMS, and other vectors. Risk-scoring tools like Very Attacked People and Nexus People Risk Explorer identify which employees face the most exposure, enabling targeted training. ZenGuide also supports Adaptive Groups for automatic enrollment based on behaviors and risk levels.
What Customers Say
Customers highlight easy campaign setup and responsive support, with dedicated account managers who help plan monthly simulations. The training library spans interactive content across 35 languages, and integration with broader Proofpoint security workflows works well. Something to be aware of is that some customer reviews note training video content looks visibly dated and undermines credibility with employees. Limited sender email flexibility also makes phishing simulations less convincing.
Our Take
Proofpoint ZenGuide is now available as part of Proofpoint’s broader security platform, which includes email gateway, encryption, and security awareness training, making it a strong solution for organizations looking for awareness training alongside email security. We were impressed by the Very Attacked People and Nexus People Risk Explorer tools, which give security teams clear direction on where to focus training investment. The ability to turn real neutralized threats into simulation content is genuinely differentiated. If you’re already in the Proofpoint ecosystem, ZenGuide extends that investment into employee behavior effectively.
Strengths
- Real phishing attempts neutralized and repurposed as simulation material
- Very Attacked People and Nexus People Risk Explorer identify high-risk employees
- Over 700 phishing templates across email, SMS, and multiple attack vectors
- Training materials available in 35 languages with dedicated account managers
Cautions
- Reviews note training video content looks dated and undermines employee credibility
- Customers flag limited sender email flexibility reduces simulation authenticity
Other Security Awareness Training Services
Provides a platform for security awareness and training.
Focuses on human risk management and security awareness training.
Delivers human-risk centric training to educate staff and reduce risk.
Ninjio offers highly engaging training content and adaptive phish simulations.
What To Look For: SAT Solutions Checklist
Evaluating security awareness training platforms requires understanding your organization’s risk profile, engagement capacity, and reporting requirements.
- Training Content Quality And Relevance: Does training actually engage employees? Are modules current with emerging threats? Can you customize content to your industry?
- Phishing Simulation Capability: Can it simulate voice phishing, deepfakes, and SMS attacks? How extensive is the template library? Can admins create custom simulations?
- Behavioral Risk Measurement: Does it identify high-risk employees automatically? Can it target remedial training at repeat offenders?
- Admin Overhead And Automation: Can campaigns run automatically on a schedule? How much configuration is required? Does it reduce ongoing burden?
Weight these criteria based on your situation. Large enterprises need strong behavioral risk measurement. MSPs need multi-tenant management. Compliance-focused teams prioritize audit readiness.
How We Compared The Best Security Awareness Training Solutions For Business
Expert Insights is an independent editorial team that researches, tests, and reviews cybersecurity and IT solutions. No vendor can pay to influence our review of their products.
We evaluated 11 security awareness training solutions across training engagement, phishing simulation effectiveness, behavioral risk measurement, and reporting capability. Each platform was tested for both SMB and enterprise deployments.
Beyond hands-on evaluation, we conducted extensive research across the awareness training landscape and reviewed customer feedback and case studies. Our editorial and commercial teams operate independently.
This guide is updated quarterly. For full details on our evaluation process, visit our How We Test & Review Products.
The Bottom Line
Security awareness training works best when it’s automated enough to sustain without constant admin effort, engaging enough to change behavior, and measured enough to prove impact.
For automation and low maintenance with behavioral tracking, Phished and TitanHQ both run training on autopilot.
For advanced threat simulations reflecting emerging attacks, Adaptive Security uses GenAI for custom deepfake and voice phishing scenarios.
For genuine employee engagement that sticks, ESET delivers gamified training with real world practice.
For enterprise deployments with thorough reporting, KnowBe4 remains the market standard.
Read the individual reviews above to dig into training effectiveness and the trade-offs that matter for your environment.
FAQs
Security Awareness Training: Everything You Need To Know (FAQs)
A security awareness training program is an educational program given to a company’s users to support human risk management by educating them about current and topical cybersecurity issues, security hygiene, and the dangers one can encounter when traversing the web. It strives to educate users on the steps they can take to protect themselves and the company network when faced with a range of real life cybersecurity challenges, training them to think independently and critically.
- How Is The Training Given?
Let’s face it, no one likes having reams of information to read on a PowerPoint slide. It inspires people to switch off rather than engage, rendering your expensive SAT program ineffective against threat actors. More successful and impactful SAT programs model themselves on the principle of kinesthetic learning–or, learning by doing.
The best SAT programs will provide training sessions that blend interactive training videos, presentations, and quizzes that support knowledge retention and allow users to learn about cyber threats and how to spot a concerning behavior change that may indicate that cyber criminals have succeeded in their breach attempts. SAT should support the organization’s ability to present awareness and compliance training in a fun, creative, and memorable way at a pace that suits them. This interactive approach to learning helps your users to think critically–an important skill to have when they are inevitably faced with a real phishing email in their inbox and it’s down to them to respond accordingly.
- How Frequently Is The Platform Updated?
The threat landscape is one that is ever changing. It’s a universal fact of (cybersecurity) life. The threats and attacks we see today have come a long way from fifteen, ten, and even five years ago. They’re getting more nuanced and more sophisticated, as well as finding more avenues to capitalize on. With threat actors constantly devising new schemes, your users need to stay ahead of the curve. As such, it’s important your users stay ahead of the curve with up-to-date training modules. When inquiring about SAT programs, be sure to ask how frequently the product is updated with new and current training modules.
- Does The Platform Include Phishing Simulations?
Phishing simulations, considered an important part of SAT, is simulated phishing emails sent out to users in order to continue to train and test the understanding of a company’s users to see how they respond to “real” phishing emails in their inboxes. A lot of people tend to respond well to reinforced and repetitive learning, so after SAT programs have ended, phishing simulations can be configured to be deployed immediately after to help reinforce what users have learned and continue to help them think critically. These simulations are also important in flagging with admins who need further training. While most SAT vendors include phishing simulations as part of the package, not all of them do, so it’s worth inquiring while shopping around.
While a lot of the technology that has been developed to tackle cybersecurity threats, there are still attacks that evade these defenses. There are plenty of phishing scams that slip past these security parameters and tools, as well as more direct attacks that can occur within your company building that your users might not notice.
Essentially, there will be plenty of times when the last line of defense between your company and a devastating breach and data loss is your users–so having them trained for these eventualities is absolutely critical.
SAT teaches your users to think critically about their information and data hygiene, how they communicate, what they get in their inbox, and how to act and store information in their physical offices.
Some of the top features you need to consider when making a purchasing decision on SAT solutions are:
Training Topics
The topics that the training program offers are incredibly important. These are the learning modules that your employees will go through, and what is on offer is very important in shaping your workforce’s understanding of cybersecurity.
- Email-Based Phishing: Perhaps the most important topic of the training will be email phishing attempts and other email borne attacks. Globally, 81% of companies have seen an increase in email phishing attacks since early 2020. To say the problem is unprecedented is understating things. While email security tools do an excellent job at filtering out most threats, they’re not infallible and some things do slip past your defenses, and when they do your end-users need to be ready. It’s not necessarily a topic you need to look out for as any SAT worth its salt will cover email attacks, making sure that the training is extensive, in depth, and up to date is important. Email phishing attempts are getting more and more sophisticated, so SAT vendors also need to make sure they’re offering training that is constantly being updated and refined.
- Other Forms Of Phishing: It’s also important to note that while email phishing is the number one instance of phishing, email isn’t the only vector used by attackers. Phishing attempts can be instigated through other platforms, such as collaborative work applications, SMS messages, and more. The same logic and training for email phishing also applies to other avenues, teaching your employees to be wary of links and attachments and strange requests.
- Remote Working: while remote working isn’t a new phenomenon, it’s certainly taken off in recent years (looking at you, COVID) and there’s been increasing discourse in the cybersecurity industry on how to handle this ever changing, flexible new network perimeter. Remote working can open up new avenues for attacks, and a lack of coworkers around means people are less likely to seek advice or are unable to seek immediate advice if they receive a suspicious email. A good topic to look out for, if you have a remote or hybrid workforce, is one that covers how to work remotely safely.
- Password Security: Passwords are the number one method of authentication the world over. Online accounts for both work and personal applications are accessed with a username and a password, with the username often being the user’s email address. The problem with passwords is, due to their prevalence and not necessarily being that secure, they’ve become a huge attack vector for threat actors to take advantage of. Managing passwords can be hard and there’s a lot for your employees to consider, such as making sure they’re long and unpredictable, not reusing them, and storing them safely. Training modules that cover good password hygiene is critical to your network’s overall health. It educates your employees on how to safely store passwords, both digitally and in the office, and how to manage them.
- Data Management And Handling: Data is the most precious (and copious) thing a company has. A lot of the data a company handles is usually highly sensitive, containing information on customers, clients, and employees. It will also contain data on company records, plans, stats, and more. Basically, it’s all the stuff you’d want to keep inside the company and make sure it doesn’t go anywhere it’s not supposed to. Good SAT solutions will offer training on appropriate data handling, specifically covering how your users should access this data, where to access it, where to store it, how to keep it safe at all levels, and how to prevent potential data loss and leakages.
- Practical Guidance: While less concerned with actual measures concerning cybersecurity, good SAT solutions will run training on how your users should act and behave while they’re in the office. Another term for this is office hygiene. Not everyone who walks in and out of the office will necessarily have your company’s best interests at heart, so employees need to act accordingly in how information is stored and presented in the office. This could be how they manage and store physical data, to something simply like why they shouldn’t write down passwords for their work accounts. Employees need to operate on what is referred to as a “clean desk” policy–i.e., sensitive information shouldn’t be on any physical medium and in full display where threat actors or malicious insiders can access it. This includes documents or even sticky notes. Modules on practical guidance essentially teaches employees how they can help protect data, their computers, additional devices, and their actual physical office from threat actors.
- Privacy Compliance: A lot of organizations handle a lot of sensitive information and data, including healthcare, educational, and financial organizations. Topics on privacy can help educate your team on how to keep this data safe and keep the company compliant with privacy regulations.
- Removable Media: Removable media is the term used for any storage devices that can be attached to and disconnected from computers while the system is running, which includes things like USBs and CDs. While they’re handy for users, they’re also handy for threat actors as they can be leveraged to install malware and ransomware on company networks if compromised. Often, any harmful content downloaded can be executed to run automatically and can bypass most cybersecurity measures put in place. Removable media can also contain sensitive information, which needs to be stored safely and properly to make sure it isn’t stolen. Employees should be taught to be suspicious of any untrusted or unknown removable media and should bring it to their IT team for scanning first.
Other important topics to look out for when looking at SAT solutions include malware and ransomware, how to traverse the internet safely, and mobile device security.
Gamification
Gamification is essentially adding game features to the training program in order to make it more engaging, memorable, and fun for your users. Let’s face it, security awareness training isn’t exactly everyone’s idea of a fun activity, and a lot of your users will be liable to switch off mentally and not take anything in, which defeats the purpose of putting them through the training in the first place.
Gamification can take on various forms. It can mean the incorporation of interactive quizzes and other media, highly stylized and animated videos, or role-playing game features. It makes the information easier to consume and makes your users less liable to mentally switch off during the training. Game-like aspects of the training also help your end-users critical thinking skills when it comes to thinking about potential scenarios.
While gamification adds a fun spin on things, the fact that it makes the training look good isn’t the sole reason. The whole point of gamification in SAT is to make the training memorable. Kinesthetic learning–i.e., learning by doing–is hugely beneficial in making sure things stick.
Phishing Simulations
SAT often goes hand-in-hand with phishing simulations. Often designed to be deployed straight after training is complete, phishing simulations send fake phishing emails to your users to test their knowledge and help them to identify threats and report them. Phishing poses one of the biggest–if not the biggest–threats to companies. Downloading a harmful file or clicking on a malicious link can open your network to follow up attacks (such as ransomware attacks), security breaches, and data exfiltration and losses. Not only do email phishing attempts have the potential to be devastating, they’re also highly prolific.
A lot of the potential dangers covered in the topics above are contextual and might not look the same in practice than it does in theory. Attackers deploy a range of techniques and tactics–both technical and psychological based–in order to dupe the receiver. In some instances, the tell-tale signs of a phishing email might not even be there. Phishing simulations help admins know that users have not only completed the training but understood it as well. Where SAT lays down the framework and tools for your users, phishing simulations helps them put their knowledge to practice.
When looking at vendors, one of the key things to look out for with phishing simulations is their email templates. Good phishing simulation solutions will come with hundreds, if not thousands, of email phishing templates for you to use. If you’re looking for something more specific and want to emulate spear phishing tactics, customization is a good feature to look out for. You should then be able to configure the simulation to run as frequently–or as infrequently–as you like.
For your users, they will be presented with a series of fake phishing attempts they must respond to. If training has been successful, they will report and block the offending email. If an employee has failed the simulation by clicking or downloading any attached content or failing to flag it with admins, then they can be re-enrolled in further support and training. It’s important to note that good phishing simulation tactics are there to support and aid your users, rather than “punish” them for failing the simulation. Feedback and support need to be done with care, otherwise users who have failed may feel disillusioned with the training overall and be less receptive to further training.
Reporting
Good SAT solutions will come with extensive and detailed reporting logs on your users, their level of progress within the training program, and any results collated after phishing simulations have been deployed. From there, admins can see who is doing well, who needs further support, and who isn’t taking in anything at all. Some SAT solutions will offer “grading” on users, showing admins clearly how far along and how well users are doing ni each category.
Security awareness training offers numerous benefits, including:
- Reduced risk of security breaches: By educating employees about threats like phishing, malware, and social engineering, training can significantly lower the likelihood of successful attacks.
- Improved compliance: Training can help organizations meet regulatory requirements related to data protection, such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.
- Stronger security culture: Ongoing training fosters a security-conscious environment where employees understand their role in protecting sensitive information.
- Increased employee productivity: When employees understand security best practices, they are less likely to make mistakes that could lead to downtime or data loss.
- Enhanced incident response: Training can equip employees to recognize and report security incidents quickly, enabling faster response and minimizing damage.
The frequency of security awareness training depends on several factors, including the organization’s risk profile, industry, and regulatory requirements. However, it is generally recommended to provide initial training to all new employees and conduct ongoing training at least annually. In addition, regular reinforcement through short modules, newsletters, and simulated phishing attacks can help maintain employee awareness and knowledge retention. For high-risk industries or those with frequent changes in the threat landscape, more frequent training may be necessary.
There are several ways to measure the effectiveness of security awareness training:
- Phishing simulation results: Track the percentage of employees who fall victim to simulated phishing attacks before and after training to assess improvement.
- Training completion rates: Monitor the percentage of employees who complete the training modules within the specified timeframe.
- Knowledge assessments: Use quizzes or tests to evaluate employees’ understanding of the training material.
- Security incident reports: Analyze the number and type of security incidents caused by human error before and after training to determine if there is a reduction.
- Employee feedback: Gather feedback from employees about the training content and delivery methods to identify areas for improvement.
- Compliance audits: Verify that the training program meets the requirements of relevant regulations and industry standards.
Written By
Joel is the Director of Content and a co-founder at Expert Insights; a rapidly growing media company focussed on covering cybersecurity solutions.
He’s an experienced journalist and editor with 8 years’ experience covering the cybersecurity space. He’s reviewed hundreds of cybersecurity solutions, interviewed hundreds of industry experts and produced dozens of industry reports read by thousands of CISOs and security professionals in topics like IAM, MFA, zero trust, email security, DevSecOps and more.
He also hosts the Expert Insights Podcast and co-writes the weekly newsletter, Decrypted. Joel is driven to share his team’s expertise with cybersecurity leaders to help them create more secure business foundations.
Technical Review
Craig MacAlpine is CEO and Founder of Expert Insights. Before founding Expert Insights in August 2018, Craig spent 10 years as CEO of EPA Cloud, an email security provider that rebranded as VIPRE Email Security following its acquisition by Ziff Davis, formerly J2Global (NASDAQ: ZD) in 2013.
Craig is a passionate security innovator with over 20 years of experience helping organizations to stay secure with cutting-edge information security and cybersecurity solutions.
Using his extensive experience in the email security industry, he founded Expert Insights with the singular goal of helping IT professionals and CISOs to cut through the noise and find the right cybersecurity solutions they need to protect their organizations.