# Phishing Simulations: Building a Human Firewall

- Link: https://dbr-soft.com/phishing-simulations-building-a-human-firewall/
- Published: 2026-10-21T19:37:42+00:00
- Author: David Botero

A phishing simulation sends employees realistic fake phishing emails. Those who 
click receive instant coaching instead of suffering real harm.

**How it works**

1. A safe, simulated phishing email is sent to staff

2. Actions are tracked: opens, clicks, credentials entered, and reports

3. Users who fall for it see a short, friendly learning moment

4. Results guide further training

**Benefits**

– **Realistic practice** in a safe setting

– **Measurable progress** over time

– **Identification of high-risk groups** that need extra support

– **Habit building:** people learn to pause and check

– **Culture of reporting**

**Best practices**

– **Get leadership support** and tell staff that simulations will occur

– **Start with easy examples** and increase difficulty gradually

– **Use varied scenarios:** delivery notices, password resets, payroll updates, 
shared documents, and executive impersonation

– **Provide immediate, brief training** to anyone who clicks

– **Celebrate those who report** suspicious messages

– **Avoid punishment.** Fear leads people to hide mistakes, which makes real incidents
worse.

– **Track the report rate,** not only the click rate

– **Run them regularly,** monthly or quarterly, with varied timing

**Things to avoid**

– Tricking people with emotionally harmful lures, such as fake bonuses or layoffs

– Publicly naming people who clicked

– Treating simulations as a gotcha

– Running one campaign and stopping

**Make reporting easy**

Install a “Report phishing” button in your email client so users can flag messages
with one click.

**Measure improvement**

A healthy trend shows falling click rates and rising report rates over time.

**Connect to real security**

Simulations work best alongside email filtering, MFA, and clear incident procedures.

**DBR Soft runs simulation and training programs that build confidence, not fear.****
[Contact us for more information.](https://dbr-soft.com/contact/)**

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