Phishing Simulation is increasingly becoming the training solution of choice among many businesses. Recent research has indicated that incorporating phishing simulation into an overall security awareness program provides distinct advantages, which include practical, true-world experience for personnel, and an opportunity to lay solid training in to the topic. By providing realistic phishing scenarios employees can learn how to respond to different types of attacks, and also gain experience in detecting phishing attempts. The ethical phishing simulation program can also help personnel learn more about phishing prevention and how to avoid phishing attacks by reviewing the latest phishing prevention guidelines. However, phishing is not the only way to protect business information from attack; by definition a phishing simulation is not a real phishing attack.
Other types of awareness programs, such as those that require participants to actually receive emails or downloads, may be phishing simulators as well. Real-time feedback is critical to many security clearance requirements, and can also provide valuable hands-on training for employees. A phishing simulation program typically requires participants to complete pre-checkout forms and answer some basic questions about their exposure to phishing and other internet threats.
An awareness program with a phishing simulation program should incorporate both hands-on and real-time feedback. In a real-time setting, participants will receive instructions via cell phone, pager, or Blackberry, depending on the specific provider. In these situations, hands-on instructions may include instructions on how to complete the various phases of the program, such as opening emails, downloading files, etc. Participants should be encouraged, but not expected, to provide specific details about personal information or financial information. Otherwise, a phishing attack would be nothing more than an elaborate set-up.
Another important factor that should be included in an overall security awareness implementation is the creation of a baseline. A baseline refers to the statistical data that informs security managers how frequently phishing attempts occur within an organization. Without access to this statistical data, managers cannot properly evaluate the efficacy of their employees' phishing awareness campaigns. The threat of phishing varies widely based on a number of factors, and organizations should develop a baseline that takes into account a wide range of variable. A phishing simulation program should also be evaluated periodically, to ensure that it continues to perform well, and to ensure that existing metrics meet specific goals.
One of the most important aspects of phishing email test program is the way in which it gets its information security information across. Many of the most successful phishing simulators take advantage of social media to reach out to potential victims. Employees engaged in simulated phishing should be encouraged to "like" or share posts on their work Facebook page. This increases the likelihood that their colleagues will also be tempted to open phishing emails and chat with them online. Organizations should also encourage employees to forward phishing content to their Twitter followers.
When employees are asked to engage in simulated phishing, they should not have to guess about whether the people they're talking to are legitimate business contacts or not. Simulations can help managers prevent employees from becoming too friendly with someone they shouldn't be in contact with while working on the job. A comprehensive phishing simulation program for an organization's overall security needs to include all of these components, as well as an accurate baseline to gauge performance. Check out this post: https://www.britannica.com/technology/phishing, if you need to expound on your knowledge on this topic.
