Simulated Phishing Strengthen Employee Awareness

Simulated phishing is a controlled training exercise where employees receive fake but highly realistic phishing emails designed to mirror actual cyberattacks. Instead of exposing the business to risk, these safe campaigns measure how staff respond—whether they click a malicious link, enter login details, or report the email as suspicious. When mistakes happen, employees receive immediate feedback explaining what they missed and how to spot red flags in the future. This hands-on approach helps organizations build a stronger culture of cybersecurity awareness, reduce human error, and create measurable improvements in resilience over time.

Phishing is the leading cause of cyber incidents, responsible for more than 80% of breaches worldwide. Even with strong firewalls and antivirus software, a single employee mistake can open the door to ransomware or data theft. Simulated phishing tests give employees a safe, repeatable way to practice identifying scams before they cause real damage. By tracking who clicks, who reports, and who ignores, businesses gain valuable insight into their human risk. HERO’s managed service ensures campaigns are realistic, frequent, and tailored to your industry, so your workforce develops stronger instincts while also satisfying compliance obligations.

For phishing training to be effective, consistency is key. Running a campaign once or twice a year often leads to short-term awareness but little long-term improvement. Best practice is to run simulations on a monthly or at least quarterly basis, with randomized delivery so employees never know when to expect them. This unpredictability reinforces awareness and prevents staff from simply “passing a test.” HERO automates the scheduling of these campaigns, making it easy for businesses to maintain regular training without burdening internal IT teams. Over time, frequent testing builds lasting habits that keep employees alert.

When an employee clicks on a simulated phishing email, they’re not punished—instead, they’re given immediate, constructive feedback. HERO’s platform highlights what red flags were missed, such as suspicious sender addresses, unexpected attachments, or unusual requests. Employees are then guided into short refresher modules that reinforce proper cybersecurity behavior. This real-time correction turns mistakes into teachable moments, ensuring lessons stick. Over time, organizations see a measurable reduction in repeat clickers, and high-risk users can be identified for additional training. The result is a smarter, more confident workforce that becomes a proactive defense against real cyberattacks.

Yes—HERO’s simulated phishing campaigns are completely safe and designed to educate, not harm. They contain no malware, viruses, or active threats. Instead, they replicate the appearance and style of actual phishing attacks to create a realistic learning experience. All tests are run in a secure environment, and results are tracked in detail without compromising systems or data. Because the simulations are controlled, businesses get the benefit of realistic exposure without any of the risks associated with real phishing attempts. It’s an effective, measurable way to strengthen cybersecurity awareness across the entire organization.

Compliance frameworks like HIPAA, PCI-DSS, NIST, and SOC 2 all require ongoing employee security awareness training. Simulated phishing directly supports these requirements by providing documented proof that your organization is actively testing and educating staff against the most common type of cyberattack. HERO delivers compliance-ready reports that show campaign frequency, employee progress, and measurable improvements over time. These reports can be shared with auditors to demonstrate a consistent commitment to risk reduction. By combining phishing simulations with ongoing awareness training, HERO helps businesses meet regulatory standards while genuinely reducing the likelihood of human error.

Many low-cost phishing programs use outdated templates or run a one-time test that delivers minimal long-term value. HERO takes a managed approach, creating phishing simulations that reflect the latest threats and tailoring campaigns to your industry and workforce. Our experts monitor each campaign, analyze results, and provide actionable insights that go beyond raw click data. Employees who fall for tests receive targeted refresher training, ensuring they don’t just fail and move on—they actively learn from the experience. This cycle of testing, feedback, and ongoing education makes HERO’s program far more effective at reducing risk over time.

Yes—studies consistently show that organizations using simulated phishing as part of their security awareness training significantly reduce their risk of real-world incidents. Employees who regularly practice spotting fake emails are far less likely to fall victim to an actual phishing scam. HERO strengthens this effect by providing instant feedback, targeted training for high-risk users, and compliance-ready reporting. Over time, this reduces repeat clickers and builds lasting vigilance across the workforce. By turning employees into active defenders instead of weak links, simulated phishing becomes one of the most cost-effective defenses against cybercrime.

Not at all—small and mid-sized businesses are among the most frequent targets of phishing attacks because cybercriminals often assume they lack advanced defenses. HERO’s simulated phishing service is fully scalable, making it accessible to organizations with as few as 20 employees or as many as several thousand. The platform adapts easily to different team sizes, industries, and compliance needs, ensuring consistent training across all staff. For smaller businesses, it provides enterprise-level protection at an affordable cost. For larger enterprises, it delivers the scalability and reporting needed to manage training across multiple sites and remote teams.