The Top 11 Phishing Awareness Training Solutions
Discover the best phishing awareness training solutions to protect your employees’ inboxes. Explore features such as multi-media content libraries, gamification and phishing simulations.
The first step in defending your business against phishing attacks is in knowing that these attacks exist. According to a study by Proofpoint, almost 90% of organizations around the world experienced spear phishing attempts last year, and 55% of those attempts were successful. The good news is that we’re learning more about this type of threat. Education is one of our best defenses against phishing, and the number of powerful phishing awareness training solutions out there are largely to thank for the decrease in click rates and increase in reporting rates in the last year.
As technology advances, cybercriminals are adapting their phishing attacks to make malicious messages harder for machines and humans to identify. Traditional phishing emails target hundreds or even thousands of recipients at a time. They’re designed to trick users into clicking on a URL to a webpage where they’re asked to enter personal information. Spear phishing emails are targeted and personal. The attacker impersonates a trustworthy source, pretending to know their victim, so that unsuspecting users will trust them when they ask for sensitive information. Both types of attack have key indicators that users can look out for to determine whether an email is genuine or fraudulent.
In this article, we’ll explore the top ten phishing awareness training solutions designed to transform employees into an additional layer of defense against social-engineering attacks. These solutions offer a range of engaging, learner-focused training materials, which teach your employees how to identify and report suspicious activity; admin reporting, which allows you to see who has completed the training; and realistic simulations to drill your employees on what they’ve learned. We’ll give you some background information on the provider and the key features of each solution, as well as the type of customer that they are most suitable for.
The Top 11 Phishing Awareness Training and Simulation Solutions includes
- ESET | Hook Security | Phished | Proofpoint | Barracuda | Cofense | Infosec | Inspired eLearning | IRONSCALES | KnowBe4 | LUCY Security
ESET Cybersecurity Awareness Training
ESET is a market-leading cybersecurity provider, offering a comprehensive security platform for organizations globally. Their cybersecurity awareness training program includes up-to-date and gamified training modules, phishing simulations and user testing, and robust management and reporting capabilities from the admin console. ESET’s phishing awareness training includes interactive activities that can be completed on-demand, at a user’s own pace. Content includes real-life scenarios, gamification, quizzes, and role-playing, and organizations can upload their own content and create quizzes, as well as customize existing content with their brand logos.
Admins can test users by running simulated phishing campaigns using pre-built, customizable and relevant templates from their library, or by creating their own from scratch. Campaigns are easy to create and manage, and admins can group specific users and departments to be tested. ESET additionally includes a plugin for Office 365 users, which allows them to report any suspicious emails—including simulated ones. Users that fail simulations by clicking on the links within can be automatically enrolled in refresher training. The platform also offers robust management and real-time reporting capabilities for admins on one centralized dashboard. The user-friendly dashboard provides an overview of course progress and enrollment for users, as well as phishing campaign metrics and reports.
Overall, ESET’s phishing awareness training and phishing simulation tool is easy to use for both admins and users, and is quick and straightforward to implement. Importing users is simple, with options to sync with Active Directory or to manage via CSV. Training is easy to access, and takes only 90 minutes to complete, so this program is ideal for organizations looking for short, yet informative, training. We recommend this program for organizations across all industries as the phishing template library includes templates specifically for those in banking, finance, healthcare and more. The program is best suited for US-based organizations looking for engaging security awareness content as well as robust phishing simulations.
Hook Security PsySec Security Awareness Training
Hook’s PsySec training content is made up of two programs: Essentials and Deep Dives. The Essentials program is delivered annually and covers broad topics that all employees should have a robust understanding of. These include phishing, password security and working from home securely. PsySec Deep Dives are delivered monthly and aim to make complex topics and more accessible. To do this, they utilize scenario-based learning and entertaining narratives. Employees receive a monthly single-video course that explores one security topic in depth and in an immersive way.
Phished
Phished is a security awareness training provider that specializes in empowering users to identify and confidently report email threats such as phishing, CEO fraud and SMiShing. The platform combines AI-driven, automated phishing simulations with educational training content from the Phished Academy to deliver point-in-time learning that prepares users to respond to today’s sophisticated threats. Phished also offers robust reporting tools that enable administrators to view the state of security across their workforce and assign further training where needed. Over 1,000 organizations around the world currently rely on Phished to transform their employees from a potential vulnerability into a powerful human firewall.
Admins can manage phishing simulations easily via the platform’s intuitive dashboard. Here, they can create their own phishing emails, choose a template (available in nine languages) from the Phished library, or schedule automated simulation campaigns, which Phished recommends to be run every 15 days. Automated campaigns use artificial intelligence to send tailored simulations to each user based on how they’ve responded to simulations in the past. The platform features a “Report Phish” button that sits directly within the email client, enabling users to report phishing emails directly to their IT team. Correct reports are congratulated; if a user opens a link or enters their credentials into a fake phishing webpage, Phished immediately assigns a relevant Learning Path to explain what they should do differently next time. And if a user reports an email that isn’t a simulation, that platform analyzes that email to determine whether it’s safe or might pose a genuine threat. Admins can view simulation data in the reporting section of the management dashboard. Reports can be scheduled or generated on demand, and include details such as who correctly responded to a campaign, who opened a phishing link, and who entered credentials.
Phished is easy to deploy and set up in any email client, including Google Workspace and Outlook. Users can be onboarded manually, via .csv file, or via Active Directory integration. Customers praise Phished for its powerful reporting functionality, which lets them know which users require further training, and the ease with which they can set up the automated phishing campaigns. We recommend Phished to organizations looking for an intuitive way to deliver powerful phishing simulations that train their employees to identify and report phishing threats.
Proofpoint Security Awareness Training
Proofpoint are a global market leader in email security solutions, and their security awareness training can be leveraged on its own or in a combination with Proofpoint’s technical security solutions. Proofpoint Security Awareness Training (formerly Wombat Security) is made up of a range of modules that sit within a user-friendly platform. It includes phishing, smishing and USB testing simulations, training modules and knowledge tests. The training materials themselves comprise a selection of videos, posters, infographics and articles to engage with all users, no matter their preferred learning style.
Proofpoint’s engaging materials make their solution extremely popular amongst users. The content itself is designed to promote security best practice and teach users how to detect and report phishing attacks. Each module is available on demand and takes around fifteen minutes to complete, so it’s easy to fit the training in around busy work schedules. Alongside their training library content, Proofpoint’s solution offers phishing simulation to test how effectively users are reacting to phishing threats, and allow administrators to target training in areas where it’s needed. This includes a Phish Alarm feature, which allows users to report phishing attacks to their security team.
Proofpoint also offer a multi-layered package of technical solutions that complement their phishing awareness training. Their heuristic scanning technology helps protect systems against new, unknown threats, as well as known viruses and malware.
Proofpoint’s easy-to-manage training package is an ideal solution for any organizations looking for ongoing security awareness training. It’s also available as a part of Proofpoint’s Essentials package solution, which offers industry-leading technical protection against email security threats.
Barracuda PhishLine
Barracuda provide a comprehensive range of multi-layered email, cloud and network security solutions. Barracuda PhishLine is their continuous simulation and training package that teaches users how to defend against phishing, smishing, vishing and found physical media attacks. It’s available as part of Barracuda’s Complete Email Protection solution, which also includes Sentinel, which is their AI-based technical solution that defends networks against spear phishing, account takeover and business email compromise (BEC) attacks.
PhishLine exposes users to the latest attack techniques and teaches them how to recognize key indicators to help stop email fraud, data loss and brand damage. PhishLine’s simulation content is fully customizable so that organizations can tailor the training to the specific attacks they’re facing. A built-in workflow engine allows you to deliver training as soon as it’s needed, so that you can send training invitations to employees based on how they reacted to simulated phishing campaigns.
PhishLine also includes a built-in “Phish Reporting” button that employees can use to instantly flag suspicious emails with their IT department. This feature works seamlessly with the training itself to tie in reporting, so that organizations can target training towards those who need it.
Barracuda PhishLine’s multi-lingual training content is updated daily to equip organizations with the resources they need to tackle evolving phishing attacks. It can be used either alone or in tandem with Barracuda’s technical email security solutions, and is an ideal program for smaller organizations and MSPs looking for effective phishing protection.
Cofense PhishMe
Cofense offer highly effective training campaigns designed to improve employees’ awareness of, and resilience against, phishing attacks. Alongside their phishing awareness training, they offer a technical security solution that combines human detection with automated response, allowing organizations to detect and block attacks in a matter of minutes. Thanks to their powerful anti-phishing solution, analyst firm Gartner have declared Cofense leaders in security awareness and computer-based training.
Cofense’s PhishMe provides extensive security awareness training that conditions users to identify and react to phishing attacks though scenario-based simulations, videos and infographics. Each simulation is fully customizable so that organizations can target their employees’ training towards specific threats that they’re facing. Cofense combines awareness training with ‘Cofense Reporter’, an add-on button that users can click to report suspicious emails to the help desk from directly within their email client. This encourages users to click on the “Report phish” button and flag the threat, rather than fall for it. This button is compatible with Outlook, Gmail and IBM Notes. The Reporter allows administrators to monitor program performance and track resilience to phishing.
To help manage these user reports, Cofense Triage combines human and artificial intelligence to distinguish between genuine threats and false alarms reported via the “Report phish” button. It then isolates any threats. Security teams can then use the Cofense Vision tool to quickly search for and quarantine malicious emails from all user inboxes. Cofense provide effective protection for any organization wanting to combat phishing by training their employees to report attacks directly.
Infosec IQ
Infosec are one of the fastest growing security awareness providers. They provide skills training and certification, as well as a strong offering of training programs for employees. IQ is Infosec’s combined anti-phishing simulation, security awareness CBT and role-based training. Delivered as a 12-month program, it inspires employees to adopt best practices and become a powerful line of defense against phishing attacks.
With IQ PhishSim, security teams can build customized phishing campaigns from an expansive template library to teach employees how to tackle the most dangerous threats they’re facing. New templates are added to the library weekly to keep organizations on top of new and adapting threats. If an employee clicks on a simulated phishing link, they’re automatically directed to a brief training module that highlights where they went wrong, so that training is delivered immediately after the mistake is made. IQ PhishSim also includes PhishNotify, an email reporting plugin that allows users to flag suspicious emails on any device. The plugin records reported simulations for learner-level reporting, and quarantines real threats. These quarantined emails are then prioritized automatically to reduce analysis time and organize responses according to threat level.
Infosec’s phishing awareness training and simulation solution is constantly growing and diversifying to offer tailored variations across all individual learning topics. Their solutions were originally intended for larger enterprise companies, but have evolved to meet the needs of any sized organization so that smaller businesses can also access their range of training, scaled to fit their need.
Inspired eLearning
Inspired eLearning (IeL) offer enterprise security awareness and compliance training. IeL’s training materials are available in customizable product packages, and their app allows users to access content whenever it suits them. PhishProof is IeL’s phishing awareness training solution. It was the first anti-phishing solution to provide all four phishing method simulations (phishing, vishing, smishing and USB baiting) in one platform.
PhishProof allows organizations to test, train, measure and improve their phishing awareness and preparedness in one all-encompassing experience. The program starts with a Baseline Phishing Campaign, which provides users with a Phishing Preparedness Score at the beginning of their training. As users complete more training and are subjected to more simulations, their Preparedness Score is re-evaluated so that their can easily measure their progress. Admins can schedule simulation campaigns to run with randomized templates, or customize them to target their organization’s particular needs. Each campaign can be tailored in terms of the kind of phish sent (URL, attachment, form submissions) and the level of difficulty (easy, medium, hard). If a user is successfully phished, PhishProof automatically enrols them on the relevant training module.
PhishProof also offer inbuilt phishing reporting in the form of PhishHook. This Outlook plugin allows users to flag suspicious messages, rewarding them for detecting simulations but also alerting the security team to suspected attacks from external sources.
IeL’s PhishProof solution is an ideal program for any organization looking for comprehensive training across all four phishing methods. Their app and customizability ensure that their content is accessible for organizations of any size, and their multilingual support offer enables accessibility for diverse employee populations.
IRONSCALES Threat Assessment
IRONSCALES are a market leader in anti-phishing technologies. IRONSCALES’ Threat Assessment includes phishing and smishing simulations and an extensive library of personalized training materials that aim to transform employees into security analysts. Threat Assessment is available as a stand-alone solution, or as a part of IRONSCALES’ wider phishing protection platform, which is made up of six modules and also includes AI-powered post-delivery protection, crowdsourced threat intelligence and a virtual analyst for fast remediation.
IRONSCALES’ phishing awareness training starts with an assessment of each employee’s phishing recognitions skills so that simulated phishing campaigns can target users at an appropriate level. Campaigns test employees with real-world staged phishing attacks that IRONSCALES have seen customers dealing with, to provide a targeted, realistic training experience. Users can report suspicious emails (both simulated and genuine) with a button directly inside their email inbox, on desktop or mobile. If they correctly identify a simulation, they “graduate” to a higher level of proficiency. If they fail to identify a simulation, IRONSCALES assigns the employee a custom micro-learning module to address what went wrong. These modules are made up of engaging, gamified content, including award-winning videos from NINJIO, to ensure that employees enjoy the training and retain the information more effectively.
As well as the training and simulation modules themselves, IRONSCALES Threat Assessment features robust reporting capabilities that allow security teams to track their employees’ progress in real-time from a high-level overview to a granular by-employee breakdown. Threat Assessment is suitable for SMBs looking for an advanced and engaging phishing awareness training program, and particularly those who would like to bolster their employees’ training by pairing it with powerful post-delivery threat protection.
KnowBe4
KnowBe4 are a market leader in phishing awareness training and simulations, both in terms of revenue and customer count. With a focus on innovation, KnowBe4 put user engagement at the forefront of their security awareness solutions. Because of this, their training library contains a huge variety of materials, including videos, games and quizzes. KnowBe4 also offer training specifically for management and system administrators.
KnowBe4’s solution comprises a selection of free tools and extensive purchasable training materials. Organizations can test their employee’s baseline awareness with a free simulated phishing attack, and report suspicious content through KnowBe4’s Phish Alert button. The button is compatible with Outlook, Exchange, Microsoft 365 and G Suite. If an organization invests in KnowBe4s full Phishing console, the button will also track whether employees report simulated phishing emails. This allows administrators to see which users are falling for phishing attempts. The console includes access to thousands of resources and training materials, as well as comprehensive training reporting to ensure that all users are successfully completing both the training modules and the simulated phishing campaigns.
KnowBe4’s solution is aimed at small- to mid-sized organizations looking to tackle the threat of phishing with extensive employee training. Note that, for a comprehensive user experience, it’s useful for network administrators to have some prior knowledge of their selected awareness topics to be able to effectively build these topics into their curriculum.
LUCY Security
LUCY Security allow organizations to take on the role of an attacker to discover vulnerabilities both in their technical infrastructure and in their employee knowledge. If weaknesses are found, LUCY’s comprehensive solutions eliminate them. LUCY’s security awareness training solutions cultivate a long-lasting culture of awareness through engaging, customizable content and attack simulations.
LUCY’s security awareness content library contains over 200 interactive, web-based training modules that organizations can use to educate their employees both online and offline. Content is hosted in the LUCY LMS, which means that employees can manage their own learning journeys whilst admins can track their progress in real time. All of LUCY’s content is highly customizable, including their videos and gamified materials. On top of this, organizations can create their own new content, as well as request custom materials from LUCY’s content team.
In addition to their e-learning program, Lucy provide a “safe learning environment” where employees can experience realistic phishing attacks and test their knowledge of how to respond to them. LUCY’s phishing simulations include templates for SMS, corporate, ransomware and spear phishing attacks, among others. Admins can then target the simulations at individuals or groups of employees, and assign further training based on an analysis of their responses.
LUCY Security’s training solution is engaging and relevant. Delivered through their own integrated LMS, it’s available in over 30 languages, which makes it an extremely accessible e-learning program. LUCY’s solution is well-suited to any organization that wants to create a culture of awareness amongst their employees, no matter their size, as well as test their employees through attack simulations.