Imagine you receive an email from what appears to be your HR department. It’s a routine request to verify your Social Security number and home address through a secure link. The sender is familiar. The tone is professional. You click the link, enter your information, and move on with your day. Weeks go by when your organization discovers the email didn’t come from HR, it was a phishing attack from a spoofed domain. And you weren’t the only one who responded.
The result is a data breach, leading to an internal investigation and hundreds of exposed records. Not because a system failed, but because the request felt familiar, and no one paused to question it.
Phishing isn’t new. But it remains one of the most effective attack methods for its ability to target people, not just systems. It hides in everyday messages, delivery updates, file shares, and meeting invites, exploiting weak spots in human nature. These attacks don’t succeed due to a tech failure. Phishing is effective because of gaps in behavior; gaps that can be filled with routine training and a clear responsibility for managing risk at all levels.
What’s at risk without cybersecurity training
Cybercriminals don’t break down firewalls, they get through inboxes, phone lines, and open doors. Attackers now use automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and social engineering to mimic everyday interactions like vendor invoices, shared documents, and internal requests. They study communication patterns to generate emails that look routine and calls that sound familiar, slipping past filters and people.
Verizon’s 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report found that about 60% of data breaches involved the human element, exposing vulnerabilities in weak passwords, misdirected emails, and careless data-handling. And because phishing is a volume tactic, with attackers sending thousands of messages knowing only a few need to work, without training, your teams are more likely to fall into that margin.
As phishing attacks and other social engineering tactics become more sophisticated, often written by AI to mimic tone and context, they’re harder to detect and more likely to slip past traditional filters, which makes staff awareness more critical than ever. Here’s what’s at risk without effective training:
- Business interruptions. A phishing attack can lead to ransomware, expose credentials, or steal data, disrupting operations and delaying service. Even short outages can delay service and strain customer relationships, which can damage your reputation. Training staff to recognize threats is a critical first step in preparedness.
- Loss of sensitive data. Your organization likely holds personal or financial information that your customers expect you to protect. A breach can quickly undermine that trust. You might also face regulatory penalties, but reputational damage often has the longest impact.
- Loss of revenue. Phishing attacks can lead to unauthorized fund transfers, payroll diversions, or fraudulent vendor payments. Once attackers gain access to internal systems or impersonate trusted contacts, they can redirect money before detection. These losses are often immediate and substantial, and without proper staff training, the risk of falling for such schemes increases dramatically.
- Higher insurance rates. Cyber insurers are increasingly scrutinizing an organization’s security posture. A workforce that lacks training in identifying phishing attempts can lead to more claims, which in turn drives up premiums, or worse, results in denied coverage. Demonstrating a culture of awareness can help control costs and improve insurability.
- Downgrades to credit. A successful phishing attack that leads to a breach or operational disruption can trigger financial instability. Credit rating agencies may view such incidents as signs of weak governance or risk management, potentially leading to a downgrade that affects borrowing costs and investor confidence.
Understanding both financial and operational risk helps clarify where to focus. Phishing and other social-based attacks don’t just exploit technical gaps — they exploit human behavior. Whether it’s a misdirected click, a rushed approval, or a misplaced trust in a spoofed sender, the human element is often the entry point. That’s why training and awareness aren’t just IT concerns, they’re business critical. When staff are equipped to spot and stop threats early, your organization is better positioned to prevent losses, protect data, and remain resilient.
People not platforms
Cybersecurity tools can help, but they can’t stop someone from clicking a fake invoice or replying to a “routine” email. Defense starts with people, not platforms. When you invest in training, you’ll see better outcomes, especially when that training is:
- Realistic. Use real examples, simulate common tactics, and let teams practice by detecting red flags and reporting them.
- Focused. Teach staff what to look for. Be mindful of unfamiliar senders, vague requests, and unexpected links.
- Ongoing. Threats change, and awareness needs to keep up. Make training a routine, not an annual event.
- Actionable. Make it clear who and where to report phishing attempts to. Keep the process simple and accessible.
Simulate tactics and practice in neutral environments with periodic tests to keep staff vigilant. When staff know what to look for and what to do next, they can be proactive with threats before they spread.
Third-party risk and the chain of exposure
And while phishing aims to infiltrate and exploit your internal operations, issues escalate and risks multiply when working with third parties, especially those with unmanaged security practices.
So, how can you manage third-party risk? It starts with (you guessed it) — training. Just like internal staff, vendors should be trained to recognize suspicious requests, verify details before responding, and know when to escalate. Human error remains the most common entry point, which means awareness is the first line of defense.
Define and communicate the process for identifying phishing and other social attempts and where to direct them when they’ve been spotted. If something looks suspicious, the process for reporting it should be frictionless. Ensure vendor access is tightly managed. Permissions and access to critical systems and data should reflect only what’s necessary and be reviewed regularly to account for scope and risk.
Ultimately, when controlling third-party risk, the goal isn’t to disrupt daily operations but to make secure practices a natural part of them.
What strong organizations do differently
Build your defenses on three pillars: people, processes, and technology. Remove one, and the structure weakens. Focus on consistency, not complexity. For example, conduct short training sessions frequently that keep pace with current threats, not just once a year. Test awareness with phishing systems designed for specific departments such as HR, accounts payable, customer service, and sales, mirroring the kinds of messages staff are likely to receive.
Set clear expectations for vendor communication to reduce the risk of impersonation. Prioritize creating an incident response plan if you don’t have one, and review it at least annually. Creating well-structured contingencies, reviewing them consistently, and communicating plans throughout the organization could be the difference between a small interruption and a complete disaster.
Turning risk into readiness
Phishing will continue to be a persistent and evolving threat, which means ongoing vigilance and proactivity are essential. Staff who are trained consistently on new and emerging threats with the right tools and support can spot threats faster and with confidence, reducing the risk that a mistake becomes a breach. The chance of an attack won’t scale back anytime soon, but with the right investments in training and awareness, the chance of a breach can.
No system is foolproof, but preparedness makes the difference. If you’ve noticed blind spots in your current program — or you’re not confident in how it’ll hold up under pressure — it might be time to bring in a partner who knows where to look.
