How Can We Prevent Phishing Without Annoying Our Team?

Engagement through positive reinforcement is more effective than punishment. I suggest using gamification techniques, like rewards or certificates, to create an engaging learning environment. A great resource is a study presented at Black Hat, which showed engagement leads to better retention of security practices. Focus on encouraging good behaviors rather than just scaring people into compliance.

You can also adopt passive measures, like awareness posters and making it clear where to report phishing attempts. By fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness and being present in the office, you can develop a cyber-positive atmosphere that keeps phishing top of mind without being disruptive.

Check out KnowB4! They offer brief quarterly training sessions (around 10 minutes) along with monthly phishing tests. We've also got a phishing-alert button set up in Outlook, which makes reporting suspicious emails easier. Just remember, enforcement is key—if someone keeps failing, you may need to have stricter policies or even some public recognition for the worst offenders.

I think it’s essential to implement strong security measures like multi-factor authentication (MFA) and email filters. This way, even if someone does click on a phishing link, you mitigate damage significantly. Annoyance might be necessary to some extent, but it should be balanced with practical safeguards that make employees feel secure.

A lot of folks think annoying employees is the best deterrent for phishing. I had a situation where a VP got really angry about a phishing simulation email I sent their way—turns out it was a real phishing attempt! Keeping phishing awareness front and center is crucial. Short, frequent reminders keep it fresh in people's minds without being overly annoying.