With 68% of breaches involving the human element, employee security training isn't optional—it's your most important defense. But not all training is created equal. Here's how to build a program that actually changes behavior.
68%
Breaches Involve Humans
70%
Risk Reduction
$230K
Training Saves Per Breach
Core Training Modules
Module 1: Phishing Recognition
Teaching employees to identify phishing emails, including AI-generated ones.
- Red flags: urgency, sender mismatches, suspicious links
- How to verify legitimate requests
- Reporting procedures
Module 2: Password Hygiene
Best practices for creating and managing secure passwords.
- Why password reuse is dangerous
- Using password managers
- What to do if credentials are exposed
Module 3: Social Engineering
Recognizing manipulation tactics used by attackers.
- Vishing and voice cloning
- Pretexting and impersonation
- Verification procedures
Module 4: Data Handling
Proper handling of sensitive information.
- Data classification
- Secure sharing methods
- Clean desk policy
Training Best Practices
Keep sessions short (5-10 minutes) and frequent (monthly)
Use real examples from recent breaches
Include interactive elements and quizzes
Run phishing simulations to test knowledge
Provide immediate feedback on simulation results
Tailor content to job roles and risk levels
Celebrate and reward security-conscious behavior
Never shame employees who fall for simulations
Measuring Success
Leading Indicators
- Training completion rates
- Phishing simulation click rates
- Report rates for suspicious emails
- Quiz scores
Lagging Indicators
- Security incident count
- Successful phishing attacks
- Credential compromise incidents
- Data loss events
Training Alone Isn't Enough
Even the best-trained employees can make mistakes. Combine training with technical controls like credential monitoring, MFA, and email filtering for comprehensive protection.
The Complete Picture
LeakLoop complements your training program by alerting you when employee credentials are exposed—even if they make a mistake. Together, training and monitoring create a robust defense against human-targeted attacks.