Security Awareness Training: Building a Security Culture
Technology cannot defend against every security threat — employees and contractors who understand security risks are a critical line of defence. Security awareness training builds the knowledge and habits that make your team resilient to social engineering, phishing, and human error.
Core Training Topics
- Phishing recognition: How to identify phishing emails, spear phishing, and vishing — and how to report them
- Password hygiene: Using password managers, avoiding password reuse, creating strong passphrases
- MFA usage: Why MFA is required and how to use it — including awareness of MFA fatigue attacks
- Safe data handling: How to handle personal data, confidential data, and credentials — classification and handling rules
- Device security: Screen locks, encrypted storage, reporting lost devices
- Incident reporting: What to do if you suspect a security incident — who to contact, what not to do
Training Formats
- Annual structured training (video-based, in-person workshops)
- Simulated phishing campaigns — sending test phishing emails and measuring click rates
- Targeted training for high-risk roles (finance team members, administrators, executives)
- Security newsletters and awareness communications
Our Recommendations
Security training should be mandatory, role-appropriate, regularly refreshed, and tested. We recommend annual formal training supplemented by quarterly simulated phishing and regular security updates. Training completion and simulated phishing metrics should be reported to senior leadership.