Can Cyber Security Simulation Training Stop Social Engineering Attacks?

Social engineering attacks continue to dominate the cyber security threat landscape, and organizations that aren’t paying attention could end up paying the price.

Generative AI (GenAI) and deepfake technology are allowing hackers to deploy social engineering campaigns with unseen levels of sophistication.

In one instance, a finance worker paid $25 million to a cyber criminal who impersonated the company’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in a live video call. 

If you don’t want your organization to fall victim to this tactic, it’s time to start looking at solutions.

Cyber security simulation training can definitely make a big difference. But is it enough to stop the barrage of social engineering attacks headed your way? Let’s find out. 

The Case For Security Simulation Training

Cyber security simulation training directly addresses the main cause of social engineering attacks: the human factor.

By exposing the workforce to attack scenarios they might encounter during their daily tasks, they are more likely to recognize and report phishing attempts and other forms of social engineering.

This type of training is absolutely necessary in a threat landscape where humans have to be the first line of defense, as a majority of attacks start with some form of social engineering, which often can’t be detected by spam filters.

Simulation is better than most other forms of security awareness training, because it emphasizes hands-on learning in realistic scenarios, a way better alternative to traditional training that typically boils down to one-time workshops or slide decks.  

Medical training has long depended on simulations as part of the learning process, and studies support that it improves skill acquisition and retention more significantly than traditional, theory-based learning methods.

In the context of security, simulation training instills a security-first mindset and builds a proactive security culture where rather than relying solely on security tools and policies, organizations benefit from a workforce that actively contributes to cyber resilience.

Finally, simulation training works great for satisfying the security training requirement which exists in many compliance frameworks, including SOC 2, ISO 27001, NIST, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.

Are There Any Drawbacks?

Even the most skilled surgeon can occasionally make a mistake. No matter how well trained someone is, their innate human tendencies or outside factors can make them error-prone, especially under pressure or in unpredictable situations.

So, while simulation training can significantly reduce the odds of a social engineering attack being successful, completely eliminating the risk is, unfortunately, impossible.

Implementing simulation training effectively can also be a challenge. If the simulations aren’t done right, they may even have a negative effect.

It’s important to avoid a dynamic whereby people don’t learn anything and just end up resenting the security team for “trying to trick” them.

This usually happens when the tests are overly deceptive or punitive, making employees feel embarrassed or set up for failure rather than educated.

If employees feel like the tests are unfair or an attempt to catch them instead of helping them improve, they can become distrustful of the IT team and even start ignoring legitimate security threats. 

To be effective, phishing simulations must focus on education and constructive feedback rather than negative reinforcement.

It’s also worth mentioning that simulation training alone likely isn’t enough to stop social engineering attacks altogether, especially given how advanced and frequent they’re getting.

A balanced approach that combines employee education with technical measures like AI-driven threat detection and email filtering is necessary to combat social engineering.

Building An Effective Simulation Training Program

The key to making simulation training work for your organizations depends on a few key pillars.

First, the program should be personalized to fit the risk profile of the organization, the job roles of employees, and even the knowledge levels of each individual team member.

Using a one-size-fits-all solution will not result in the best outcome. It’s better than nothing, but it won’t address the main risks that each department or job role faces.

For example, HR and finance departments generally face a higher risk of business email compromise (BEC) or whale phishing attacks, so focusing on these areas will make training more relevant and practical.

You should also remember to focus on the education aspect of training. The goal is not to identify which employees pose the highest risk, but to support all employees regardless of skill level in learning how to make better decisions in the interest of the organization.

Keeping track of key metrics like engagement and report rates is also essential for assessing progress and the overall effectiveness of the program.

It’s unlikely that you will get things right on the first try, but ongoing improvements to the program will snowball, and you will be able to see that through decreasing failure rates.

Is Simulation Training Worth It?

Simulation-based cyber security training is a worthy investment with potential to boost the security awareness of the workforce.

By equipping employees with valuable, hands-on experience, simulation training reduces the risk of high-scale social engineering that lead to data breaches, ransomware, and credential theft. 

However, while simulation training strengthens the human defense layer, organizations should not rely on it as the sole measure against social engineering.

Proven technical measures and security best practices, including MFA and Zero Trust policies are also necessary to create a robust, multi-layered protection strategy.