Phishing continues to be a leading method used by attackers to infiltrate business systems and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data. As email continues to serve as a primary channel for both communication and intrusion, organizations need more than just phishing simulation training.
Ongoing phishing simulations provide a practical way to develop user instincts, gather real-time behavioral data, and reinforce cybersecurity habits throughout the organization. But how often should these simulations happen?
How Often You Should Run Phishing Simulations for Your Organization
In high-risk sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government, organizations experience a constant stream of threats that demand continuous vigilance.
For these groups, phishing simulations should run monthly, or at a minimum, every four to six weeks. Maintaining this rhythm keeps security top-of-mind without causing fatigue or diminishing the learning impact.
For most small and mid-sized businesses, quarterly phishing simulations tend to strike the right balance. When teams are more stable, and turnover is low, testing every three months can still produce measurable improvements without straining internal resources.
Timing matters just as much as frequency, and new hires should be added to simulation groups during onboarding. Starting early helps new employees adopt a cautious approach to digital communication from day one.
Some departments have to deal with more targeted threats than others. HR, finance, and IT are often prime targets, which means a static schedule may not always be sufficient.
When simulations reveal repeated failures or when job functions expose staff to sensitive data, adjusting the frequency of testing for those teams makes sense.
Consistency cannot be overlooked. A few simulations each year won’t build lasting habits. Keeping simulations regular and predictable in cadence but not in content gives your team the repetition it needs to develop a true security-first mindset.
How Effective Are Phishing Simulations?
The success of phishing simulations isn’t just measured by who clicked; it’s about how employees respond, how they report, and whether the lessons stick.
Repetition builds greater awareness over time. People begin to question emails that don’t quite look right, and even the most convincing attempts start to raise flags.
Simulations help create a culture shift, as reporting suspicious messages becomes a shared responsibility, not something left only to IT or security. When teams treat potential phishing emails as everyone’s concern, response times improve, and attackers have fewer chances to succeed.
Each campaign produces valuable data; which departments are improving? Who is struggling? Which messages go unnoticed and why? Tracking each of these patterns helps refine both phishing simulation training and testing strategies.
From an operational standpoint, phishing simulations give IT teams the opportunity to rehearse response protocols. They offer a low-risk, high-reward way to evaluate how quickly and effectively threats are handled, leading to more confident reactions when a real incident occurs.
What Is the Reporting Rate for Phishing Simulations?
The reporting rate refers to the percentage of users who identify a phishing simulation and report it rather than clicking or ignoring it.
A solid benchmark to aim for is a reporting rate that consistently exceeds the click rate. Industry averages tend to fall around 18 to 20%, with high-performing organizations reaching above 30 percent.
Tracking this rate helps security teams understand whether users are just passively avoiding threats or actively participating in detection. The higher the rate, the better positioned the organization is to catch threats early and contain them quickly.
What Is the NIST Phish Scale?
To better assess phishing simulation results, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) introduced the Phish Scale. This framework categorizes the complexity of simulated phishing messages by evaluating both the clarity of red flags and the familiarity of the content to recipients.
Using the Phish Scale helps teams understand why certain emails result in more clicks. Was the email easy to identify because of glaring errors? Or was it created to resemble internal communication closely enough to trick seasoned employees?
With this scale, results from different campaigns can be compared more fairly, and simulations can be customized based on the security maturity of other departments or teams.
What Are the 5 Levels of NIST?
NIST defines a structured approach to phishing simulations by outlining five distinct difficulty levels, which organizations can use to assess and strengthen employee readiness:
- Very Easy: These messages often contain clear giveaways such as poor spelling or suspicious sender addresses. Most users will spot these right away.
- Easy: Slightly more polished than Very Easy attempts, these still include red flags such as odd formatting or generic greetings.
- Moderate: These use known brands and possibly partial personal information, along with believable links and subjects.
- Difficult: Messages here appear personalized, include relevant context, and lack obvious indicators of phishing.
- Very Difficult: At this level, simulations mimic actual communications and are designed to be nearly indistinguishable from real emails.
Gradually moving from easier to more difficult scenarios allows employees to build confidence and refine their instincts without feeling overwhelmed.
Best Practices for Running Phishing Simulations
Phishing simulations work best when approached as an ongoing learning tool. Start with simpler messages and gradually introduce more complex ones.
Try to avoid framing simulation failures as reasons for embarrassment or discipline; instead, follow up with quick, supportive coaching that helps people understand what they missed.
Leverage your simulation data to focus efforts where they are needed most. Some departments may require more frequent testing due to higher exposure or lower performance.
All simulations should reflect real-world scenarios that align with the tools and communications your team uses daily.
Make sure to measure more than just who clicked: examine who reported, how fast they responded, and whether behaviors improved in subsequent tests. Repeat the process consistently to keep progress moving forward.
Strengthen Security Habits Without Guesswork
Phishing simulations are more than a test; they are an opportunity to build awareness, reinforce good habits, and sharpen your response strategy. At Advantage Technology, we partner with organizations to create simulation programs and security awareness training that reflect your structure, goals, and risk environment.
Talk to us about what your current simulation efforts are lacking and how we can help raise your team’s reporting rates, reduce click rates, and strengthen your security culture. Contact us today at 1-866-497-8060 or visit us online to book a consultation.