Phishing and reporting
Recognize suspicious messages and use the approved reporting route.
Curriculum Guide
Security Awareness Training Topics Employees Need
A risk-based security awareness curriculum commonly covers phishing, social engineering, passwords, MFA, business email compromise, data protection, malware, safe browsing, remote work, QR phishing, physical security, and AI-assisted threats.
Use the framework below to turn the concept into a repeatable, measurable employee-awareness workflow.
Clear definition • Practical steps • Measurable activity • Useful next actions
01Core Elements
What a Practical Approach Includes
Passwords and MFA
Protect credentials and respond safely to unexpected authentication prompts.
Social engineering and BEC
Verify identity, urgency, payment, and sensitive requests.
Data protection
Handle, share, store, and dispose of information appropriately.
Devices and remote work
Use approved systems, updates, networks, and physical safeguards.
Emerging channels
Address QR phishing, collaboration tools, mobile messages, and AI-enabled impersonation.
02Implementation
A Repeatable Process
- 1
Assess risk
Use threats, roles, incidents, policies, and requirements to set priorities.
- 2
Map audiences
Give every employee a core foundation and add role-specific learning.
- 3
Schedule reinforcement
Use concise, repeated learning around relevant events and changes.
- 4
Measure and revise
Review learning activity, simulations, reports, incidents, and feedback.
03Next Steps
Connect Learning With Practice and Evidence
Keep content relevant, simulations controlled, results interpreted in context, and follow-up actions documented. Avoid using a single click rate as a complete measure of employee risk.
Common questions
Should every employee receive the same topics?
All employees benefit from a core foundation, but role-specific risks should shape additional content for groups such as finance, administrators, executives, developers, and customer-facing teams.
How should topics be prioritized?
Use the organization's risk assessment, threat experience, incidents, policies, roles, technologies, and applicable obligations.
What should teams record?
Keep the campaign scope, audience, delivery dates, supported employee events, training assignments, completion activity, and the actions taken after reviewing results.
Published by Phishmake
Keep building your program
All resourcesPut it into practice
Build a More Relevant Awareness Curriculum
Bring phishing simulations, awareness training, employee activity, and reporting into one manageable workflow.