What is the importance of measuring the effectiveness of awareness?

Investing only in training and campaigns does not guarantee, by itself, the reduction of incidents. Because without clear indicators, organizations cannot answer fundamental questions.

After all, it is necessary to understand if employees are, in fact, prepared to identify threats or if awareness efforts are generating real impact on daily behavior.

It is in this context that measurement gains relevance. Evaluate data, transform awareness into a continuous process of improvement, based on evidence.

After all, measuring effectiveness makes it possible to direct actions more precisely, strengthen the security culture, and support strategic decisions by leaders, connecting people, processes, and technology to reduce cyber risks.

Why is it necessary to measure the effectiveness of awareness in addition to training?

Having a security awareness plan is essential for organizations, however, it alone is insufficient to consistently reduce risks.

This is because, when organizations limit themselves to applying periodic content without measuring results, awareness is treated as a one-off event, and not as a continuous process of behavioral change.

In this scenario, there is no clarity about what has been assimilated, what risks remain active, and where the main human vulnerabilities are.

Thus, without clear metrics, it is very difficult to assess the real effectiveness of the training applied.

This is because the mere completion of a course or the consumption of content does not mean that the employee is prepared to identify a phishing attempt, report an incident, or adopt safe practices on a daily basis.

Therefore, metrics such as click-through rate, response time, and report volume are key to understanding whether knowledge is being converted into action.

Another critical point is strategic decision-making. When there are no reliable indicators, leadership loses visibility into the organization's level of security maturity.

This makes it difficult to prioritize investments, define more targeted campaigns, and correct specific flaws by area, profile, or level of access.

Without data, actions tend to be generic and reactive, increasing exposure to incidents.

In addition, the absence of metrics compromises the evolution of the safety culture, as measuring results allows:

• Follow trends;

• Identify improvements over time;

• Promote continuous adjustments in awareness strategies.

  
  

More than proving results, metrics transform training into a structured cycle of learning and improvement, aligning human behavior, technology, and business objectives in reducing cyber risks.

What are the recommended indicators to evaluate awareness programs?

The indicators allow you to evaluate effectiveness, in addition to offering a clear view of how employees interact with real risks. After all, without well-defined metrics, the organization loses the ability to identify weaknesses and prioritize actions.

See below what these metrics are and how they are important for the effectiveness of digital security policies.

Click-through rate in phishing simulations

This metric allows you to identify how many people still interact with malicious content, revealing critical points of attention and levels of vulnerability in the organization.

Offering a direct view on the effectiveness of awareness campaigns in the face of scenarios that simulate real attacks.

However, the analysis of this indicator must go beyond the isolated number. Assessing click recurrence, the severity of simulations, and evolution over time is critical to understanding whether risk is being reduced.

When well interpreted, click-through rate becomes a strategic tool to direct more specific training and corrective actions.

Incident and suspicious message reporting rate

The incident reporting rate is an essential indicator to measure the level of employee engagement, as an increase in reports indicates that people are more attentive, aware and willing to act in the face of possible threats.

This behavior is a clear sign of maturity. Because it indicates a true transformation of the employee's behavior into an active line of defense.

More than the volume, it is important to analyze the quality and agility of these reports.

Response time and accuracy in identifying suspicious messages help to assess whether the knowledge acquired is being applied correctly.

This indicator contributes directly to reducing the impact of incidents and strengthening the safety culture.

Comparison by area, profile and access level

The comparison by area, profile and level of access allows a more in-depth view of how risk is distributed in the organization.

This is because different functions are exposed to different threats, and treating all employees the same way can mask critical vulnerabilities. This indicator helps to identify more susceptible groups and areas that require greater attention.

With this segmentation, awareness campaigns can be personalized, becoming more relevant and effective.

In addition, comparative analysis supports strategic decisions, such as prioritizing training for high-risk profiles, contributing to more efficient security management aligned with the reality of the business.

What is the role of phishing simulations in measuring results?

By reproducing scenarios close to the attacks faced in the daily lives of organizations, simulations play a necessary role, where organizations can measure and understand the true impact on their operations.

Unlike theoretical assessments, this type of simulation tests the behavior of employees in practical situations, allowing them to observe how they react to potentially malicious emails, links, and messages.

This makes the analysis more accurate and aligned with the reality of the risk. In addition to identifying vulnerabilities, phishing simulations generate objective data that supports the evaluation of the effectiveness of awareness campaigns.

After all, indicators allow you to monitor the evolution of behavior over time and compare results between different areas and profiles. This data helps validate whether the trainings are generating concrete impact or if adjustments are necessary.

Finally, when applied in a continuous and structured way, phishing simulations contribute to the construction of an evidence-based improvement cycle.

They make awareness a measurable process, allowing decisions to be made based on real data rather than perceptions. In this way, organizations strengthen their security posture and reduce risk.

PhishX and its phishing simulations with advanced reporting

PhishX supports organizations in measuring real-world results by combining continuous phishing simulations with a robust layer of intelligent reporting and reporting.

Simulations allow you to test behaviors in realistic scenarios, while advanced reports consolidate strategic data such as click-through rate, recidivism, response time, and evolution over time.

In this way, awareness is no longer just an educational initiative and becomes a measurable and evidence-driven process.

The difference lies in the analytical depth of PhishX's reports. The information is organized in a clear and actionable way, enabling analysis by area, profile and level of access, as well as historical comparisons that demonstrate the maturity of the program.

These insights allow you to identify specific vulnerabilities, target campaigns more precisely, and prioritize actions based on actual risk rather than assumptions.

With this, PhishX increases visibility on engagement and awareness effectiveness and organizations are able to present concrete results to leadership, justify investments and strengthen the safety culture on an ongoing basis.

It is necessary to measure the effectiveness of awareness campaigns.