Why Reporting is More Important Than Not Clicking
For years, the cybersecurity industry focused on "click rates"—the percentage of users who fail a phishing simulation. This was a mistake. The true measure of a resilient organization is not how few people click, but how many people report.
The Human Sensor Network
When a user reports a suspicious email, they transform from a potential liability into an active defender. They become a sensor in your human firewall, providing real-time intelligence to your security operations center (SOC).
The Golden Rule of Reporting
Reporting a phishing email allows security teams to instantly quarantine that same email across the entire organization, protecting thousands of other users who might not have been as vigilant.
Defining Success: The >70% Benchmark
What does a mature security culture look like? According to our behavioral data, a program is considered mature when the reporting rate exceeds the click rate by a significant margin.
Users are afraid to report mistakes. Reporting rates are low (< 10%).
Users are empowered allies. Reporting rates exceed 70%.
Building a Reporting Culture
To achieve these numbers, organizations must shift from punitive measures to positive reinforcement.
- Make it Easy: Implement a clear "Report Phish" button in your email client.
- Celebrate Success: publicly acknowledge users who catch threats.
- Provide Feedback: Let users know when their report helped stop an attack.
The Psychology of the Human Firewall
Download our research paper on how positive reinforcement drives security behavior.
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