Janardhan NDid you know that almost 95% of breaches start with human error?
That’s not a stat you can afford to ignore.
All the fancy firewalls and high-end security software in the world can’t help if one unsuspecting click opens the door to attackers. One of the most common and costly threats today is Business Email Compromise (BEC).
These attacks increased by 30% as of March 2025 and now rank as the second most expensive type of breach, costing an average of $4.89 million per incident.
So, here’s the question: are your employees prepared to spot these traps before it’s too late?
The truth is, traditional “read-this-policy-and-sign-here” style training doesn’t cut it anymore. Slide decks, basic e-learning, or annual check-ins may tick a compliance box, but they don’t prepare people for the real thing.
Your employees aren’t your weakest link. They’re your first line of defence.
That’s where phishing simulations come in. They create a safe, hands-on environment where employees can practice spotting suspicious sender addresses, fishy links, or those tiny spelling errors that give scammers away.
It’s one of the most effective ways to create a human firewall inside your organisation.
Smarter Phishing Training with Mitigata
We don’t just run simulations, we help organisations build a culture of cybersecurity. With 500+ insurance, security and compliance solutions across risk prevention and data protection, we have helped 800+ businesses to build a cyber resilient work environment.
Train Your Workforce With India’s Leading Phishing Simulation
With 500+ businesses secured, Mitigata’s simulations offer experience-based learning, role-specific campaigns, and regular tests
What makes our phishing training different?
Realistic simulations
We design phishing scenarios that look like the actual attacks employees face every day. That includes spoofed websites like “gooogle.com,” spear phishing attempts, fake attachments, and even SMS or WhatsApp messages.
Experience-based Training
If an employee clicks a phishing link during a simulation, they don’t just get called out – they get instant micro-learning. With quick video lessons and short quizzes, employees learn what they missed and how to spot it next time.
Role-specific campaigns
Not every department faces the same risks. A finance manager sees different phishing lures than an HR recruiter. Our platform lets you customise campaigns by role or team, making sure each employee practices against scenarios that actually matter to their work.
Continuous testing
Phishing awareness training for employees is not a one-time event. Employees are tested regularly, and if they fall for an attack, follow-up simulations help them improve until they are confident in spotting red flags.
Compliance and Scalability Built In
From ISO 27001 to GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2, PCI DSS, CCPA, DPDP’23, Mitigata helps you check the right compliance boxes with regular phishing test for employees. And whether you’re a 10-person startup or a 10,000-employee enterprise, our platform scales effortlessly with your growth.
Are you counted among those 60% of GRC users who manage compliance manually? It’s high time to check these popular automated GRC tools in India
Actionable insights
With real-time dashboards and detailed reports, you’ll see exactly how your teams are performing, where the weak spots are, and how much stronger your defenses are getting month by month.
What Is Phishing Simulation Training?
Phishing simulation or security awareness program acts like a fire drill for cybersecurity: instead of preparing for what to do in the event of a fire in the building, you practice your response to a fraudster that is attempting to collect information from your employees.
This training includes testing how your team members respond to fake phishing emails as well as determining who clicks on false links, download suspicious attachments, or enter their credentials on websites that are not legitimate.
For instance, an employee might have an email that appears to be from IT asking them to reset their password. After they click the link, instead of being hacked they are led to a brief online learning module.
Every day, around 3.4 billion phishing emails are sent. Learn about these types of phishing emails and stay ahead of such scams.
Why Is Phishing Training Important for Businesses in 2025?
According to reports, nearly 91% of successful cyberattacks begin with a phishing email, and human error is the cause of 95% of cybersecurity breaches.
However, what makes 2025 particularly challenging is the significant growth these attacks have experienced so far. Today’s phishing attacks use AI to create personalised messages that are nearly indistinguishable from legitimate emails.
A real-life example: An accounting manager at a mid-sized business received an email that appeared to be from the CEO requesting that they process the wire transfer for a “confidential acquisition.”
The email appeared to be written in the actual style of the CEO, referencing recent company events, and even included the actual internal project code names.
Build a Phishing-Resistant Workforce With Role-Specific Simulations
With Mitigata’s phishing simulation, employees face realistic phishing attacks, get immediate feedback, and improve with follow-up training.
Without proper phishing simulation training, the employee processed the transfer, resulting in a $2.3 million loss. This is where phishing training becomes an essential business survival issue.
In 2025, every employee from the C-suite to interns is required to do this training because traditional security tools simply can’t keep up with the evolving social engineering attacks.
What Are the Types of Phishing Attacks?
Not all phishing looks the same. Here are some of the most common attack types employees should be prepared for:
- Email Phishing (Deceptive Phishing)
Attackers employ a mass approach, sending out thousands of generic emails in the hope that someone will take the bait.
You’ll often see an email that falsely claims to be from Amazon, stating that you have a problem with your order, or from PayPal, indicating suspicious activity.
The emails often start with a generic greeting, such as “Dear Customer,” use a sender address like “amaz0n-support@mailservice.net,” and use such language to create a sense of urgency, prompting customers to panic-click.
What to watch for: spelling mistakes, suspicious links, and generic greetings like “Dear Customer.”
Don’t fall for the deception! Check out how to spot the difference between spoofing and phishing to protect yourself from cybercriminals.
- Spear Phishing
A more targeted version where attackers conduct in-depth research on their victim. Instead of sending generic emails, they conduct extensive research on their targets.
They’ll know your name, job title, recent projects, and even your coffee preferences from your LinkedIn posts. A spear phishing email might appear to be from your colleague asking you to review an “urgent contract” for a client you actually work with.
What to watch for: unusual requests that seem urgent, especially those involving money or confidential information.
- Whaling
These types of attacks are typically focused on high-profile executives, such as a CEO or CFO. A common whaling situation is an attacker impersonating a CEO by emailing the finance team to request an urgent wire transfer for a “confidential deal.” The email uses authority and an urgent request to bypass standard verification procedures.
What to watch for: urgent financial requests from senior executives that bypass normal procedures.
- Vishing and Smishing
Vishing (voice phishing) occurs through phone calls in which criminals pose as bank employees, tech support personnel, or government officials.
They will create a sense of urgency, saying, “There has been an issue with your account, we need your information now!” Smishing (SMS phishing) occurs through text messages, often disguised as delivery notifications or contests for prizes.
Vishing and smishing prey on our natural approach to trusting phone calls and text messages more than emails.
What to watch for: unsolicited calls or texts demanding quick action or personal information.
- Pharming
Hackers don’t require you to click on anything – they poison DNS servers and send you to counterfeit websites even if you enter the correct web address. You think you’re on your bank’s website, but instead land on an exact replica created by criminals.
What to watch for: double-check that websites use HTTPS and rely on secure DNS settings.
Looking to buy cyber insurance? Read this ultimate guide to cyber insurance cost and premiums
- Clone Phishing
Attackers resend a copy of a legitimate email you’ve already received and create an almost identical copy with malicious links. They’ll resend it with a note like “Sorry, forgot to include the attachment in my previous email.” Since you recognize the original email, you’re more likely to trust the clone.
What to watch for: emails that look identical to past ones but contain slight changes in sender or links.
Mitigata’s simulations cover all these attack types, ensuring employees get exposure to the tactics that attackers actually use. By training in a controlled environment, employees are less likely to fall victim when it happens for real.
~ Cost of Business Email Compromise (BEC) Scam is $4.89 million
From HR to finance, Mitigata’s tailored phishing campaigns make your teams smarter and ensure that they never miss the red flag.
Online Cybersecurity Training for Employees: What to Look For
Not all cybersecurity training programs are created equal. If you’re considering cybersecurity awareness training for employees, here are some essentials to look for:
- Scalability: Your business might be small today and larger tomorrow. The training platform should grow with you, whether you have 10 employees or 10,000.
- Easy Access: Training should be available anytime, anywhere, and on any device. Busy employees are more likely to complete modules if they fit seamlessly into their day.
- Progress Tracking: Managers should be able to track employee performance through dashboards and reports to see where improvements are needed.
- Customisation: Role-based campaigns make training relevant. Finance teams need different simulations than HR or IT.
- Continuous Improvement: Cybersecurity isn’t a one-time effort. Look for platforms that offer regular simulations to maintain high awareness.
Mitigata delivers on all of these points. With multi-channel phishing simulations, real-time reporting, and compliance-ready training, it’s built to help businesses of every size build lasting cyber resilience.
Find out how VAPT (Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing) can protect your business from cyber threats with this comprehensive guide
Building a Human Firewall with Mitigata
Cybercriminals will keep getting smarter, but so can your employees. With phishing simulations, you don’t just reduce the chances of a costly breach – you create a workforce that treats cybersecurity as part of everyday responsibility.
Mitigata has a proven expertise in securing organisations digitally and maintaining a 100% retention rate record. Our work and expertise make us more than just another phishing simulation provider. We are your partner in building a resilient organisation.
If you’re serious about protecting your data, your brand, and your people, now is the time to act.
Start phishing simulation training with Mitigata and turn your employees into your strongest defence.
