Cultivating a security-aware culture is a strategic priority. While technology is essential in combating phishing and BEC threats, it is not a silver bullet. Humans are often the last line of defense – or conversely, the weakest link.
For CIOs, CISOs, and other leaders, the goal is to transform security from a checkbox IT task into a shared value and responsibility across the organization. How do we effectively train and empower our people to recognize and resist increasingly sophisticated social engineering attacks? And how do we ensure this awareness persists and adapts as threats evolve?
Developing Continuous Programs For A Security-Aware Culture
Effective security awareness treats training as an ongoing, evolving process—not a one-time event. It requires regular updates, frequent reminders, and continuous practice. Here’s what successful programs entail.
Frequent, Relevant Training for a Security-Aware Culture
Instead of annual generic training, opt for frequent micro-training sessions. Deliver 10-minute interactive modules each month on specific topics such as phishing, password hygiene, or secure cloud app usage.
Align training topics with current threats. If there’s news of a major BEC scam impacting your industry, use that scenario in the next training module. Employees engage more deeply when the content is current and personally relevant.
Include real stories and concrete examples in your sessions. Employees find lessons more impactful when they hear specific incidents. For instance, “An employee at a similar company lost $100k after clicking a fake Zoom invitation.” Human error contributes to 68% of breaches—most starting with phishing—so personal vigilance is critical.
Phishing Simulations and Drills
Phishing simulations are essential for building a security-aware culture. These controlled tests involve sending realistic phishing emails (approved by leadership) to measure employee reactions. Simulations serve two purposes: they educate employees by highlighting missed warning signs and measure organizational resilience through click and report rates.
Over time, you should see fewer clicks and faster reporting. Handle simulations carefully; the goal is education, not entrapment. Celebrate teams that excel and provide coaching for those who need improvement. Modern platforms offer adaptive training, automatically assigning extra training when an employee clicks on a simulation link.
Role-Based and Executive Training
Security education should never be a one-size-fits-all approach. Provide specialized training for high-risk roles, especially your finance team and executives. Finance employees should participate in detailed workshops about BEC, including scenarios like validating payment requests.
Executives need targeted briefings on threats like deepfakes and the importance of adhering to security procedures. Over 25% of executives have encountered deepfake incidents. With half expecting such threats to increase, executive training becomes critical.
When senior leaders actively participate, it sends a strong message throughout the organization, reinforcing a truly security-aware culture.
Metrics, Accountability, and Continuous Improvement
“What gets measured, gets managed.” Track critical metrics such as phishing simulation click rates, reporting frequency, and training completion rates. Report these regularly to senior leadership.
Consider integrating these metrics into departmental KPIs or risk dashboards. Leaders can proactively address areas needing improvement, for instance, if Marketing has a 20% click rate versus Finance’s 5%. Correlate these metrics with incident data. A security incident occurring in a department with lower awareness can justify targeted training campaigns.
Leadership and the Security-Aware Culture: Setting the Tone from the Top
A thriving security-aware culture requires deliberate nurturing from all organizational leaders. Executives and managers play pivotal roles in promoting and sustaining cybersecurity awareness.
Executive Advocacy for a Security-Aware Culture
Employees pay attention when executives emphasize cybersecurity as a business priority. CEOs should personally introduce annual security awareness initiatives. Likewise, COOs can openly discuss how cyber incidents impact operations, reinforcing the message that cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility.
Boards should actively discuss cybersecurity culture during oversight meetings, ensuring management prioritizes ongoing improvements. Establish a cross-functional security council involving department leaders to break down silos and foster collective responsibility.
Providing Adequate Resources
Developing and maintaining a security-aware culture requires adequate resources—both time and financial. Leadership must ensure security awareness programs have dedicated staffing or specialist support. Allow employees designated time each month to attend training and practice exercises.
Some organizations adopt formal “Security Time” policies, allocating regular time specifically for cybersecurity learning. This investment significantly reduces incidents and mitigates risk effectively.
Positive Reinforcement and Recognition
Recognize employees who demonstrate strong security practices. When someone identifies and reports a spear-phishing attempt, publicly commend them (with their consent) or reward them privately with acknowledgment or incentives like gift cards.
Organizations can implement programs such as “Spot a Phish, Get a Reward,” reinforcing positive behavior. This approach motivates more effectively than merely setting policies.
Foster a No-Fault Reporting Environment
Encourage a culture where employees feel safe to report mistakes without fear of repercussions. If an employee mistakenly clicks a phishing link, prioritize rapid response rather than blame.
Clear communication and supportive policies must reinforce that employees face no punishment for immediately reporting incidents. The only consequence should be supplementary training to strengthen their awareness, ensuring they feel comfortable reporting future concerns promptly.
Inclusion of Security in Business Processes
A mature security-aware culture integrates cybersecurity into everyday business operations. Teams launching new products or services should include a security checklist in their planning phases. For example, ask explicitly, “Have we assessed potential phishing or fraud risks related to this launch?”
When establishing new partnerships, discuss how both companies will securely communicate, reducing opportunities for fraudsters. Incorporating cybersecurity into daily processes ensures employees internalize it as part of their routine responsibilities, not an external inconvenience.
Sustaining the Security-Aware Culture
A primary challenge is maintaining momentum. Employees risk complacency if significant incidents don’t occur regularly. Counteract this by continuously refreshing content and leveraging external resources.
Invite external cybersecurity experts, such as FBI agents, to present on current scams. Guest speakers or even victims sharing personal breach stories keep security top-of-mind.
By regularly engaging employees and emphasizing cybersecurity importance, you prevent complacency. A well-established security-aware culture becomes self-reinforcing. Employees naturally advocate secure practices, new hires immediately learn cultural norms, and teams proactively address risky behaviors.
Maintaining a security-aware culture is a continuous leadership responsibility. The result: fewer security incidents, faster detection, and more effective responses.
A security-aware culture is the foundation underpinning defenses against phishing, BEC, and other cyber threats. Technology alone isn’t enough; human vigilance, training, and proactive behavior form a critical “human firewall” against cyberattacks.