Security awareness and phishing simulation: the one-two punch to build secure users

Combining productivity and protection 

In a world where digital tools power nearly every aspect of modern work, organizations walk a tightrope: empower end users to efficiently leverage tools, while simultaneously protecting against an evolving security landscape. Data shows that human errors are linked to 68%-95% of data breaches, often stemming from clicks, misplaced trust, or unfamiliarity. 

The convergence of a lack of technology proficiency and the speed and breadth of risks from misuse and misunderstanding underscores the fact that users must not only be skilled with tools; they need to be security-wise too. Adding simulated phishing to your tools training initiates a powerful cycle: heightened competence builds confidence, which boosts vigilance, which supports resilience. 

Understanding the human risk in IT security 

Human error is not an outlier; it’s the norm. 

Human behavior is the single-most frequent gateway for cyberattacks. Industry research consistently paints this stark picture: 

• 74% of breaches involve a human element—whether clicking a malicious link or misconfiguring a system (forbes.com, infosecinstitute.com). 

• 95% of incidents stem from human error, according to recent IBM XForce findings (ibm.com). 

• 88% of breaches originate from employee mistakes (securitytoday.com) according to a Stanford and Tessian study. 

• 68% of breaches still involve human error (nquiringminds.com) according to Mimecast’s 2025 Human Risk Report. 

In the cybersecurity world, the “weakest link” is often human, not machine. Whether it’s via phishing, misaddressed emails, or poor configs—our users are the greatest vulnerability, but they can be the greatest strength when properly trained. 

The repercussions: financial and reputational 

The fallout from human-driven incidents spans beyond IT headaches: 

• $13.9 million is the average cost of insider-related breaches according to Mimecast (nquiringminds.com, infosecurity-magazine.com). 

• $1.6M is the average cost for Small and mid-sized companies to recover from phishing attacks, with 60% shutting down within six months (cyberpilot.io). 

• 35% of employees admit to notifying customers of accidental data exposure often by misaddressing emails (ispartnersllc.com). 

Without addressing end user behavior, technical safeguards become impotent. What happens when an employee forwards a spreadsheet with sensitive data or clicks on a deceptively designed email? These mistakes don’t just disrupt workflows; they erode trust and threaten financial viability. 

Simulated phishing: hands-on learning at the highest ROI 

Why simulated phishing works 

Simulated phishing campaigns deliver tangible, behavior-focused impact. Consider these data points: 

• In one study, after completing one year of phishing awareness training, the average phish-prone percentage dropped from 37.9% to just 4.7% (Globals). 

• Employees who receive simulated phishing training are 50% less likely to fall for real phishing attacks according to Microsoft’s Digital Defense Report 2022. 

• Ponemon Institute and others report 37× return on investment, spread across cost avoidance and threat reduction (forbes.com). 

• At best-performing levels, ROI can reach 50:1. Every $1 spent saving up to $50 (phishingbox.com). 

Simulations don’t just educate they drive experience and embed learning in a moment of emotional salience. Users recognize a threat, learn from it, and form impressions that guide future behavior; far more effectively than a lecture. 

Designing an effective simulation strategy 

Very often, organizations make two key mistakes: scaring users with over-sensationalized scenarios, and providing feedback too late—or not at all. 

• Over-the-top simulations, like fake Ebola alerts, have backfired—sowing panic and distrust (secnap.com). 

• A Wall Street Journal piece illustrates how contrived stunts lead to distrust: employees “feel tricked—not taught”. (wsj.com) 

When grounded, well-targeted, empathetic messaging follows, training becomes an opportunity, not a trap. 

Academic studies also highlight unintended consequences. A multi-month trial with 14,000 participants found that overly frequent embedded training within simulations sometimes desensitizes employees (arxiv.org).  

The takeaway? 

 Provide thoughtful design, focused learning, not just alarms. 

Just-in-time teaching: rapid reinforcement drives change 

Immediate, context-rich reinforcement is a core pillar of effective behavior change: 

1. Remedial training after a failed simulation helps users connect cause and effect. 
2. Encourage real email reporting, reframing failure as shared vigilance. 
3. Track and personalize engagements: click rates, reports, and thematic weak spots. 
4. Use empathetic language, not punitive tones; shame is counterproductive. 

When users understand why they clicked and how to avoid future traps, they move from passive recipients to active defenders. 

Tool proficiency: building confident, responsible users 

Skilled users are more productive and more secure. Consider data: 

• Confident use of platforms correlates with better data governance: secure file storage, permissions management, and avoidance of shadowIT. 

• Mimecast notes collaboration tools like Teams and Slack are increasingly exploited, yet 67% of organizations consider native tool security insufficient (arxiv.org, scworld.com). 

• Errors like misaddressed emails, cloud misconfiguring, or accidental file sharing are increasingly common and preventable through training. 

Ongoing tool training (especially focusing on data-handling and security settings) creates confident users who keep themselves and their data safer. Those users become informal ambassadors, reinforcing safe practices among their peers. 

Sustaining change: shifting culture 

Simulated phishing can’t be a one-off exercise. Embed these exercises in a broader cultural ecosystem: 

• Senior leadership modeling security-aware practices signals organizational priorities. 

• Peer-to-peer recognition, not shame: public appreciation when someone reports a suspicious email boosts morale and adoption (cyberpilot.io). 

• Empathetic correction proves to users that the goals of phishing tests are not punitive, but educational. 

• Intentional feedback loops scale training efficiency. Drive awareness and accountability across teams by sharing. 

Trust is essential. When stepped-up phishing tests break trust or panic users (as in the UCSC Ebola incident) it harms the system (wsj.com). A culture of empathetic, safe learning empowers users to speak up without fear. 

Assessing impact: real metrics, real benefits 

To sustain momentum, metrics should guide everything: 

• Longitudinal tracking of reporting rates and click trends. 

• Benchmark against industry: pre- and post-training comparisons. 

• Cost-avoidance analysis: how much has averted breaches saved? 

• One US retailer reported $2M saved annually after a 60% drop in phishing incidents (arxiv.org, metacompliance.com). 

• Financial services cutoff phishing click rates from 25% to 4%—leading to 40% lower incident costs and improved trust (metacompliance.com). 

Pair quantitative analysis with qualitative insights like team feedback, illustrative stories, and shared wins. These create compelling business narratives managers and leaders can rally behind. 

Sample roadmap: a blueprint for change 

1. Align Teams: Bring IT, security, and enablement teams together under shared goals. 
   Baseline Risk: Measure initial tool proficiency, and incident data.
2. Baseline Risk: Measure initial tool proficiency, and incident data.
3. Launch Layered Campaigns: Combine tool-based training, periodic phishing simulations, and timely feedback. 
4. Reinforce Engagement: Use newsletters, leaderboards, quizzes, and recognition programs. 
5. Iterate Based on Data: Adjust focus where risks persist—based on metrics. 
6. Celebrate Successes: Share stories, recognize teams, amplify culture. 
7. Institutionalize: Incorporate training into onboarding, leadership goals, and annual plans.

Take end users from being a vulnerability to a strategic advantage 

By integrating tool proficiency, just-in-time phishing training, and culture-building practices, organizations transform their workforce from passive users into proactive defenders. These users work securely and confidently. They evolve into a network of stewards who protect data as naturally as they use it. In an era where digital threats and tools continuously evolve, the mindset to see security, not as a burden, but as a pathway to trust and productivity is an incredible competitive edge. 

BrainStorm Threat Defense can help you transform your end users’ work habits with ease. See how.