Re: Initial Phishing Simulation - Do you tell them first?

[Neal O'Farrell <neal () SCHOOLEDINSECURITY ORG>]

About the reward/incentive approach to awareness, we tried something
similar a few years ago and it worked very well - but not many adopters.

Instead of sending out phishing emails, we sent out quiz questions - three
questions per quiz and questions either based on common security knowledge
or specific policies.

Just for participating - selecting an answer - you earn a point. Choose the
correct answer, you get two points etc.

We experimented with all kinds of prizes, from gift cards to recognition.
The most popular, by far, is the monthly winner got to go home early on a
Friday.

An early kind of gamification and not without its challenges (like
encouraging employees to click on yet more emails).

But it certainly increased employee buy-in. And again, it's just human
nature. The more fun and rewarding an otherwise tedious task becomes, the
more people are willing to engage.

Some employees even encouraged daily quizzes, a fun way to start the day
and another chance to improve your score and shorten your week.

Neal.

Neal O'Farrell
Schooled In Security
www.schooledinsecurity.org
neal () schooledinsecurity org
(925) 914 0248 (EST)

When we say "next generation security," we really mean it!


On Thu, Jun 13, 2019 at 8:49 AM Hart, Michael <mhart20 () msudenver edu> wrote:

> I agree with not making this punitive.  I’d focus on gentle suggestions
> for our staff and faculty that fall for an internal phish.  More of a
> “Whoops” than a “Gotcha!”
>
>
>
> I have also contemplated providing some prizes for the first to report
> messages from these campaigns.  If we did a Starbucks-themed phish, we
> could provide $5 Starbucks gift cards to the first handful of people who
> report them to the correct resource on campus.
>
>
>
> *From:* The EDUCAUSE Security Community Group Listserv <
> SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU> *On Behalf Of *Neal O'Farrell
> *Sent:* Thursday, June 13, 2019 6:41 AM
> *To:* SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
> *Subject:* Re: [SECURITY] Initial Phishing Simulation - Do you tell them
> first?
>
>
>
> I don't come from a university background but have developed many phishing
> campaigns over the years.
>
>
>
> My preference has always been to make all employees aware in advance that
> phishing is being phased in as part of an overall awareness improvement
> campaign or culture.
>
>
>
> Then start the campaign a couple of weeks after that communication - and
> there may have to be a couple of communications first. I find that two
> weeks is usually enough time for most employees to forget that a phish test
> is on the way, but then remember, when reminded, that they were told it was
> coming. A happy medium that doesn't impact baseline testing.
>
>
>
> Most humans, especially at work, don't like to feel they've been tricked
> or duped, made a simple mistake, made to look foolish etc. When employees
> get angry that they're being unfairly (in their minds) tested, it hurts the
> entire goal of a culture of vigilance.
>
>
>
> Neal.
>
>
>
> Neal O'Farrell
>
> Schooled In Security
>
> www.schooledinsecurity.org
> <https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.schooledinsecurity.org&data=02%7C01%7Cmhart20%40MSUDENVER.EDU%7Ce7d2c85567964a8f55bc08d6effca45c%7C03309ca417334af9a73cf18cc841325c%7C1%7C0%7C636960265706818984&sdata=4aqhpDraZqOSk4ri6lJApSJLiXRSY1GvQnj62H8AKgQ%3D&reserved=0>
>
> neal () schooledinsecurity org
>
> (925) 914 0248 (EST)
>
>
>
> Security is fundamentally a battle of body parts - between the brain and
> the index finger. For the enemy to lose, the brain must win.
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, Jun 12, 2019 at 9:51 PM David Eilken <
> david.eilken () domail maricopa edu> wrote:
>
> All,
>
>
>
> I have seen some threads on phishing in the past, but have a very specific
> question. When you started your phishing campaign/ program, did you notify
> your staff / faculty that the stimulations were coming (and not to worry
> about getting in trouble for failing)?
>
>
>
> I know KnowBe4 suggests not informing the population prior to doing a
> baseline. I've heard some pretty bad horror stories about the faculty not
> being too happy about getting a test phishing email sprung on them out of
> the blue. I personally don't see a huge upside to not letting them know
> what the broader campaign is about and how it supports the infosec program.
> I would be surprised if it would scewd the results much. We already send
> out notifications when a real campaign is active.
>
>
>
> Appreciate your input. Hope your enjoying the summer.
>
>
>
>
>
> Best,
>
> Dave
>
>
>
> --
>
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> *DAVID EILKEN*
>
> *MARICOPA COMMUNITY COLLEGES*
>
> Information Security Officer | ITS
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