The Top 10 Security Awareness Training Solutions For Business
Discover the top Security Awareness Training solutions. Examine their features, quality of training materials and reporting.
Written by Joel Witts
Technical Review by Craig MacAlpine
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Security Awareness Training (SAT) is an important way to protect against cyber-attacks and solve the human risk management issue that all organizations face. It involves training users to recognize and report suspicious emails and to encourage security-conscious behaviors.
Phishing scams, weak passwords, and compromised accounts are all common causes of data breaches and financial loss against the enterprise today. Security Awareness Training platforms provide online portals for employees to access educational materials about this type of cybersecurity issue.
SAT platforms also allow admins to create training campaigns, with interactive quizzes and tests to ensure that users learn and engage with materials. Many SAT platforms also provide simulated phishing campaigns, which test how well users are able to detect phishing attacks. Some vendors also offer Outlook plugins, which allow individuals to flag suspected phishing attempts to IT teams directly from their email inbox.
Crucially, a good SAT platform should offer IT teams data and analytics showing which users within an organization are at most risk of causing a data breach, and provide the tools for admins to help the individuals that need it most. This leads to improvement in employee behavior and choices, less risk from cyber threats, and overall better cyber security.
Security awareness should be a crucial component of a strong cybersecurity strategy for businesses of all sizes. To help you select the right software for your organization, here’s our shortlist of the top SAT solutions. We’ll discuss the quality of their educational materials, how customizable it is, the data provided and what customers are saying about them.
Phished
Phished is a Security Awareness Training (SAT) platform that empowers users to identify and report email threats effectively. It transforms employees into “human firewalls” capable of countering social engineering attacks like phishing, CEO impersonation, and email fraud.
Why We Picked Phished: We appreciate Phished’s comprehensive approach, which includes personalized phishing simulations and a Behavioral Risk Score to pinpoint vulnerabilities and track improvements.
Phished Best Features: Key features include awareness training with micro-learning modules, phishing and SMiShing simulations, active reporting via the Phished Report Button, and threat intelligence to identify global malicious campaigns. Phished integrates seamlessly with email clients like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, allowing user onboarding via manual entry, .csv files, or Active Directory integration.
What’s great:
- Engaging micro-learning modules with gamification
- Customizable and automated phishing simulations
- Immediate feedback on user actions during simulations
- Easy deployment and user onboarding
- Behavioral Risk Score for detailed user insights
Pricing: For detailed pricing, contact Phished directly.
Who it’s for: Phished is ideal for businesses of any size looking to enhance their email security through employee training and awareness. It’s particularly valuable for organizations aiming to build a proactive defense against phishing and other social engineering threats.
Phished
Hoxhunt
Hoxhunt is a security awareness and phishing training platform that reduces risky employee behaviors through interactive, gamified training and personalized phishing tests. It focuses on teaching users to detect and correctly respond to cyber threats.
Why We Picked Hoxhunt: We appreciate Hoxhunt’s highly personalized learning paths and its use of gamification to boost engagement and learning effectiveness.
Hoxhunt Best Features: Key features include individualized training content, AI-driven personalization, gamification with rewards and leaderboards, phishing simulations customizable by skill level, geolocation, department, and language, and detailed reporting on user responses and organizational performance. Integrations include email security providers and Microsoft Teams.
What’s great:
- Personalized training paths tailored to individual needs
- Engaging gamification elements enhance user participation
- Comprehensive phishing simulations across multiple languages
- Detailed reporting provides insights into user and organizational performance
- Strong integrations with email security solutions
Pricing: For pricing details, visit Hoxhunt directly.
Who it’s for: Hoxhunt is ideal for larger organizations in industries like financial services, legal, technology, manufacturing, and critical infrastructure, where email threats are prevalent and advanced security awareness training is essential.
Hoxhunt
TitanHQ Security Awareness Training (SAT) is a behavior-driven solution that combines gamification with tailored training materials and phishing simulations. It aims to enhance the human layer of security through engaging, short training sessions and immediate phishing tests.
Why We Picked TitanHQ SAT: We appreciate the solution’s focus on short, engaging training sessions and its extensive phishing simulation capabilities, which together effectively reinforce security behaviors.
TitanHQ SAT Best Features: Key features include gamified learning, short 8-10 minute training videos, thousands of phishing templates, and strong customization options. Integrations include seamless compatibility with Microsoft products like Outlook 365, Teams, Azure AD, ADFS, SSO, and G-Suite.
What’s great:
- Short, engaging training sessions prevent information overload
- Extensive phishing simulation library with customization
- Immediate phishing tests following training reinforce learning
- Comprehensive reporting provides insights into user performance
- Complies with ISO, HIPAA, and GDPR standards
Pricing: Pricing for TitanHQ Security Awareness Training is available via a quotation request.
Who it’s for: TitanHQ Security Awareness Training is ideal for organizations of all sizes, including MSPs, looking to enhance their security at the human layer through engaging and effective training.
ESET Cybersecurity Awareness Training is a comprehensive solution designed to enhance user cyber safety through innovative, gamified training modules. It supports businesses globally in their efforts to combat cyber threats by fostering real behavioral change in employees.
Why We Picked ESET Cybersecurity Awareness Training: We appreciate ESET’s use of gamification backed by behavioral science, which effectively engages users and promotes lasting security habits. The solution’s phishing simulation platform is also a standout, offering customizable templates and seamless integration with Office 365.
ESET Cybersecurity Awareness Training Best Features: The training includes modules on threat overviews, password safety, email and web protection, and preventive measures. It features gamified quizzes, role-playing, and interactive sessions to maintain engagement. The platform also offers a phishing simulation tool with pre-built, customizable email templates and an Office 365 plugin for reporting suspicious emails. The user-friendly admin dashboard allows real-time monitoring of training progress and individual learner status, with the ability to generate custom reports.
What’s great:
- Gamification backed by behavioral science enhances user engagement
- Comprehensive coverage of security topics in digestible modules
- High-quality phishing simulations with customizable templates
- Easy to deploy and manage, especially with Office 365 integration
- Real-time monitoring and custom reporting through the admin dashboard
Pricing: For pricing details, please visit ESET’s official website.
Who it’s for: ESET Cybersecurity Awareness Training is ideal for businesses of all sizes seeking an easy-to-use solution that supports regulatory compliance and provides effective phishing simulations.
IRONSCALES
IRONSCALES is a rapidly growing cloud-based email security platform that combines advanced threat detection with integrated Security Awareness Training (SAT) and Phishing Simulation Testing. The solution seamlessly integrates with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, using native APIs for quick setup without disrupting email delivery.
Why We Picked IRONSCALES: We appreciate IRONSCALES for its AI-driven detection of sophisticated phishing attacks and its unique integration of SAT and Phishing Simulation Testing, which personalizes training based on real threats.
IRONSCALES Best Features: Key features include AI-powered detection of BEC, account takeovers, and VIP impersonations, alongside SAT and Phishing Simulation Testing. The platform uses AI to tailor SAT campaigns and phishing simulations based on actual attack data, offering a report phishing button for immediate threat analysis and customizable landing pages for user education.
What’s great:
- Rapid deployment with native API integration
- Personalized training content based on real threats
- Comprehensive phishing simulation and analysis
- User-friendly reporting for tracking training progress
- Immediate threat reporting and analysis
Pricing: Contact IRONSCALES directly for pricing information.
Who it’s for: IRONSCALES is ideal for organizations seeking a unified solution that combines robust phishing protection with tailored security awareness training, particularly suitable for businesses of all sizes looking to enhance their email security posture.
IRONSCALES
SANS Institute
SANS Institute’s SAT Platform delivers comprehensive cybersecurity training and phishing simulation tools, leveraging their deep understanding of IT security and adult learning principles.
Why We Picked SANS Institute’s SAT Platform: We appreciate the platform’s multi-step learning paths that facilitate easy digestion of content. Its highly customizable phishing simulations allow targeted training within organizations.
SANS Institute’s SAT Platform Best Features: The platform offers video-based training modules covering various cybersecurity topics, including anti-phishing awareness. It includes end-of-module quizzes, interactive games, and customizable phishing simulation campaigns with realistic templates and reporting tools. The platform supports full voice-overs in 31 languages and integrates seamlessly with existing security systems.
What’s great:
- Multi-step learning paths enhance content digestibility
- Highly customizable phishing simulations for targeted training
- Engaging video content with animations and live-action shorts
- Comprehensive reporting tools to track user performance
- Accessible with voice-overs in 31 languages
Pricing: For detailed pricing, visit SANS Institute’s website directly.
Who it’s for: SANS Institute’s SAT Platform is ideal for organizations seeking comprehensive, video-based cybersecurity awareness and compliance training, especially those needing customizable phishing simulations and multilingual support.
SANS Institute
Proofpoint Security Awareness Training
Proofpoint Security Awareness Training (SAT) is a comprehensive training solution designed to enhance employee cybersecurity awareness. It leverages Proofpoint’s extensive threat intelligence to deliver targeted training and phishing simulations.
Why We Picked Proofpoint SAT: We appreciate Proofpoint SAT’s integration with Proofpoint’s email security solution, providing a seamless approach to cybersecurity training. The platform’s extensive library of customizable training modules and phishing simulations effectively educates and tests employees.
Proofpoint SAT Best Features: The platform includes interactive training videos, posters, images, and articles across 35 languages. It offers over 700 phishing templates for email, SMS, and other phishing types, with customizable content. Features also include the PhishAlarm button for reporting, predefined cybersecurity assessments, and risk-scoring tools like Very Attacked People and Nexus People Risk Explorer.
What’s great:
- Extensive library of customizable training materials
- Over 700 phishing simulation templates
- Multi-language support enhances global usability
- Identifies high-risk users with risk-scoring features
- Seamless integration with Proofpoint’s email security
Pricing: Contact Proofpoint directly for pricing information.
Who it’s for: Proofpoint Security Awareness Training is best suited for larger enterprises, particularly those also seeking an email security solution, to enhance their cybersecurity posture through comprehensive training and phishing simulations.
Proofpoint Security Awareness Training
KnowBe4
KnowBe4 is a leading Security Awareness Training (SAT) platform that enhances organizational cyber resilience by educating employees on current security threats and best practices. It offers one of the largest and regularly updated libraries of training content in the SAT market, alongside phishing simulation campaigns.Why
We Picked KnowBe4: We like KnowBe4’s extensive library of over 1,300 training resources, available in more than 34 languages. The platform’s ability to personalize training and deliver phishing simulations based on individual employee behaviors is highly effective.
KnowBe4 Best Features: Key features include an extensive library of interactive modules, videos, games, posters, and newsletters, available in over 34 languages. It offers on-demand training via the KnowBe4 Learner App, third-party integrations, and the ability to upload SCORM-compliant materials. The platform provides personalized training assignments, remedial learning, and simulated phishing campaigns based on employee attributes. It also includes over 60 built-in reports for insights into training completion and simulation results, plus industry benchmarking tools.
What’s great:
- Vast library of regularly updated training content
- Personalized training and phishing simulations
- Multi-language support for global organizations
- Robust reporting and benchmarking capabilities
- On-demand training via mobile app
Pricing: For detailed pricing, visit KnowBe4 directly.
Who it’s for: KnowBe4 is best suited for large enterprises looking to enhance their cybersecurity posture through comprehensive SAT programs. It is also ideal for educational institutions, including high schools, universities, and colleges, with a dedicated student edition available.
KnowBe4
Cofense PhishMe
Cofense PhishMe is a SaaS platform that educates users on identifying real security threats, including phishing emails that bypass traditional Secure Email Gateways. It offers multi-lingual training content focused on phishing, ransomware, Business Email Compromise (BEC), malware, and social networking.
Why We Picked Cofense PhishMe: We appreciate the platform’s highly realistic phishing simulations built on real-time threat intelligence. Its interactive and gamified learning approach keeps users engaged and enhances their security awareness.
Cofense PhishMe Best Features: The platform includes phishing simulations based on Cofense Intelligence, Cofense Labs, and the Cofense Phishing Defense Center. It offers multi-lingual training content, interactive simulations, gamified learning, and prepared phishing scenarios with landing pages, attachments, and educational content. Additional features include SmartSuggest for scenario recommendations, ResponsiveDelivery for optimal scheduling, SOC2 Type 2 certification, robust reporting, and the Cofense LMS for custom branding and content integration. RecipientSync automates user management.
What’s great:
- Highly realistic phishing simulations
- Multi-lingual and comprehensive training content
- Interactive and gamified learning experience
- SmartSuggest and ResponsiveDelivery enhance training effectiveness
- Easy deployment with RecipientSync
Pricing: For pricing details, visit the Cofense PhishMe website.
Who it’s for: Cofense PhishMe is ideal for organizations of all sizes and across all industries seeking a Security Awareness Training (SAT) solution with powerful, realistic phishing simulation capabilities.
Cofense PhishMe
Barracuda Security Awareness Training
Barracuda Security Awareness Training is a robust platform designed to safeguard businesses from social engineering attacks through continuous simulations and awareness training. It offers customizable, ready-to-launch training modules that meet compliance requirements and utilize real-world threat templates sourced from Barracuda’s extensive threat database.
Why We Picked Barracuda Security Awareness Training: We like the platform’s focus on data analytics and reporting, which demonstrates ROI and user engagement. Its ability to customize all simulation and training content to fit organizational needs is a significant advantage.
Barracuda Security Awareness Training Best Features: The platform includes email phishing, SMiShing, vishing, and found physical media attack simulations, customizable templates, and daily updated content reflecting recent threats. It offers gamified training with leaderboards and user leveling systems, risk-based surveys, and detailed reporting features. Integrations include seamless compatibility with Barracuda’s Total Email Protection platform.
What’s great:
- Comprehensive simulation templates for various attack vectors
- Customizable content to meet specific organizational needs
- Daily updates with new threat simulations
- Gamified training to enhance user engagement
- Robust reporting and analytics for ROI demonstration
Pricing: For pricing details, visit Barracuda’s website directly.
Who it’s for: Barracuda Security Awareness Training is ideal for businesses seeking a comprehensive and customizable security awareness training solution, particularly those already using Barracuda’s email security products.
Barracuda Security Awareness Training
Security Awareness Training: Everything You Need To Know (FAQs)
What Is Security Awareness Training?
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.
3 Key Questions To Ask SAT Vendors
- 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.
Why Do I Need SAT Training For My Users?
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.
Features To Look For In A Security Awareness Training Solution
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.
Written By
Joel Witts is the Content Director at Expert Insights, meaning he oversees all articles published and topics covered. He is an experienced journalist and writer, specialising in identity and access management, Zero Trust, cloud business technologies, and cybersecurity. Joel is a co-host of the Expert Insights Podcast and conducts regular interviews with leading B2B tech industry experts, including directors at Microsoft and Google. Joel holds a First Class Honours degree in Journalism from Cardiff University.
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 acquired by Ziff Davies, formerly J2Global (NASQAQ: ZD) in 2013, which has now been rebranded as VIPRE Email Security. Craig has extensive experience in the email security industry, with 20+ years of experience helping organizations to stay secure with innovative information security and cyber security solutions.