Phishing test: how to reduce the risk of cyberattacks

91% of the successful cyberattacks analyzed were associated with email phishing, and 62% of the breaches analyzed in the Verizon 2026 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) involved the human element, reinforcing the importance of user awareness as part of a security strategy. The most effective way to reduce this risk is to simulate real attacks through recurring phishing tests, measure the evolution of employee behavior, and reinforce training continuously, not just sporadically.

Why phishing remains the most commonly used entry point

Unlike a sophisticated technical intrusion, a phishing email exploits the user's trust and attention; just one click on a malicious link or the filling out of credentials on a fake page is enough to compromise an entire system. This is why even companies with good technical defenses (firewall, antivirus, EDR) remain vulnerable if employees don't know how to recognize an attempted attack.

At the same time, the current scenario shows that phishing is not the only relevant entry point. In DBIR 2026, vulnerability exploitation became the main entry vector, responsible for 31% of the leaks analyzed, surpassing the use of stolen credentials. This reinforces the need to combine phishing awareness and testing with other layers of technical protection.

The numbers that show the magnitude of the problem

• According to research by PhishMe, 91% of successful cyberattacks analyzed were associated with email phishing.
• According to the Verizon 2026 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) , 62% of the data breaches analyzed involved human intervention.
• Up to 70% of users may be susceptible to a first phishing attempt, according to data from the Cofense Annual State of Phishing Report.

These three figures, taken together, reveal a pattern: a company's greatest security vulnerability is usually not in the technology itself, but in the lack of preparedness of the people who operate it.

How does a phishing test work?

A phishing test simulates, in a controlled and secure manner, a real attack campaign, with emails, links, and landing pages that mimic tactics used by real criminals. The goal is not to "catch" the employee, but to identify the team's vulnerability level and continuously train those who need it most.

1. Creating customized campaignswith content tailored to the company's specific needs.
2. Controlled and monitored shipment, with no real risk to the systems.
3. Collection of detailed metrics on user behavior and adherence to training.
4. Enhanced with educational content, including a video library on key information security topics.
5. Monitoring the evolution of risk over time, by employee or by area.

Read also: Nortis Group protects infrastructure against ransomware with EDR and zero downtime.

What to do beyond phishing testing?

Testing is the first step, but consistently reducing risk requires a continuous cycle: measuring the level of vulnerability, training based on the results, testing again, and monitoring progress, not as an isolated campaign action, but as part of the company's security routine, aligned with other layers of protection such as firewall, WAF, EDR, and SOC/SIEM.

This is especially important because current threats combine different vectors. DBIR 2026 shows that, in addition to the human element, vulnerability exploitation, credential abuse, ransomware, and third-party risks play a significant role in the attack landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a phishing test "catch" an employee by surprise and harm them? The goal of the test is not to punish, but to identify the team's level of preparedness in order to direct training more effectively. Companies that treat the results as an educational tool, not a punitive one, tend to obtain better long-term results.

How often should a company run phishing tests? There's no hard and fast rule, but isolated, one-off tests tend to have little effect. Ideally, it should be a recurring cycle, with periodic campaigns and monitoring of how employees' behavior evolves over time.

Does security training alone solve the phishing problem? It helps a lot, but ideally, training should be combined with practical tests. The difference between knowing the theory and recognizing a real phishing attempt under the pressure of daily life is usually significant.

Do small businesses also need to worry about phishing? Yes. Because phishing exploits human behavior, and not the size or technical complexity of the company, businesses of any size are exposed. This is especially true because smaller companies often have fewer layers of technical protection to compensate for human error.

Written by Skyone