How Often Should My Staff Undergo A Phishing Test?
Learn how often your organisation should conduct phishing tests and the key factors that determine the ideal amount.
Phishing Simulations
Phishing costs UK businesses millions of pounds every year. It’s a form of cybercrime where attackers masquerade as trustworthy companies, organisations or individuals to deceive people into providing sensitive information such as login details, financial information, or other personal information.
- It is usually done via a range of means, such as email, instant messaging, or other communication channels.
Over recent years, phishing attacks have become more sophisticated, subtle, and difficult to detect. The first line of defence for any organisation is employee awareness. Phishing tests on employees can be used to ascertain the current level of awareness among staff.
How does phishing simulation for employees work?
A strong Cyber Security culture is your first line of defence against phishing attacks. In practice, this means ensuring that everyone within your organisation can quickly identify suspicious emails through regular phishing testing for employees. These are cyber-attack simulations that build awareness and strengthen defences against the latest phishing risks.
Phishing simulations improve the awareness of your team, helping them to better identify potent phishing attacks. When used alongside Cyber Security Awareness training, staff are encouraged to remain vigilant, and act with caution where email communications are concerned.
A phishing awareness test can help to encourage a culture of verification, encouraging employees to check the legitimacy of any email, links, and attachments before clicking on them.
How Frequently Should Phishing Tests On Employees Be Conducted?
Judging the regularity of phishing tests relies on a variety of factors. Each organisation will be different and will have different Cyber Security needs. Experienced Cyber Security specialists will be able to advise about the frequency of phishing simulation tests for employees that your organisation is likely to require.
- A primary factor will be the risk profile of the company and the industry in which it operates. Industries handling sensitive financial or personal data will need to conduct simulations on a more frequent basis to mitigate the heightened risk.
- High turnover rates will necessitate more frequent phishing simulations to ensure that new employees receive adequate training in dealing with threats. Larger companies will usually have a more complex structure and higher staff turnover, requiring more frequent testing.
- Seasonal factors also need to be considered with many phishing attacks coinciding with specific events such as the end of the tax year. Conducting simulations around times of heightened risk can encourage employees to remain as vigilant as possible.
Email Phishing Simulations From Equilibrium Security
Phishing simulation tests alongside Cyber Security Awareness training foster a culture of caution and security, ensuring that verification takes place before links are clicked or attachments are downloaded.
- Phishing simulations help organisations pinpoint weaknesses, teach employees about real phishing tactics, and take proactive steps to improve overall security by increasing employee awareness and readiness to tackle cyber threats.
At Equilibrium, our team of experienced Cyber Security specialists can conduct one-off or routine phishing simulation tests to ascertain the readiness of your employees.
Contact us today to find out more.