I'm looking to evaluate the effectiveness of phishing awareness initiatives. There's a common belief that phishing simulations should closely mimic real internal emails for them to be impactful. However, I've observed that such high realism can lead to pushback from employees and even escalate to HR involvement. Do the simulations really need to appear internal to be effective? On the flip side, overly generic templates aren't very helpful either. What guidelines can we establish to prevent potential negative outcomes? How can we strike a good balance between effectiveness and maintaining trust among employees?
6 Answers
It's best to tailor emails to target users with familiar sources they’re likely to engage with. Think of it as spear phishing—specificity goes a long way!
I’m curious, what do you mean by 'backfire'? I get your concerns about pushback; that's pretty standard, right?
You could just send out a mock email that says, 'Click here to get hacked,' and I bet someone would still click it! It seems deep down, you know that's a reality.
We once had a situation where we sent out a phishing link that led to a supposed police fine. A bunch of users ended up visiting the office instead of clicking the link, causing quite a stir!
I think something like Sega Bass Phishing struck a good balance. It was entertaining and engaging without being overly realistic. Employees know it’s not a real phishing attempt, but they still learn something valuable.
For phishing simulations, it’s all about how authentic you want to go. If you aim to strengthen your defenses, aim for high realism. If you’re just checking boxes for compliance, then maybe keep it simpler. You don't want your team to become overly paranoid with every email!

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