Security Awareness Training Topics: 8 to Protect Your Team
Which security awareness training topics should a small team learn first? The ones attackers use most: phishing, weak passwords, fake payment requests and scam phone calls. Teach those before anything else.
Then add device habits and working from home. Below are eight topics in the order to teach them, plus a simple plan to keep the lessons fresh all year.
Why a small team needs this training
CISA notes that most online attacks start with one click [1]. So teaching people what to watch for does more than buying another tool.
In the FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report, phishing was the most reported cybercrime, with 193,407 complaints [1]. Phishing means a fake email, text or website that tricks someone into giving away a password or opening a harmful file.
A small team has no IT department to catch mistakes. So each person is part of your defense. Each of the security awareness training topics below matches an attack your staff could see this month. The good news: CISA says phishing can often be prevented when staff are trained to spot it [1].
The 8 security awareness training topics, in order
You don’t need to cover 20 subjects. These eight security awareness training topics cover the attacks a small office is most likely to see. Teach them roughly in this order.
1. Spotting phishing emails and texts
Phishing comes first on any list of security awareness training topics. Show staff the red flags: a request they didn’t expect, pressure to act fast, and links that don’t go where they claim [1]. Teach them to hover the mouse over a link to see the real address before clicking [1].
Fake messages can also come from a real contact whose account was taken over [1]. So “I know this person” isn’t proof. Our free e-book on signs that an email is fraudulent makes a good handout.
2. Checking a strange request
When a message feels wrong, staff should check it. They should never reply to it, call a number in it or click its link [1]. Instead, they use a contact method they already have, or look up the company’s number themselves [1]. Practice it out loud in your first session.
3. Reporting without fear
Every person should know who to tell and how [1]. Make it easy, and never punish someone for reporting a mistake. If someone clicks a bad link, telling you in five minutes does far less harm than hiding it for a week.
4. Strong passwords and a password manager
CISA says strong passwords are at least 16 characters long, random and used for only one account [2]. Nobody can remember dozens of those. A password manager is an app that creates, stores and fills in passwords for you. CISA suggests giving one to the whole company so staff only remember one master password [2].
5. Multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) means a second check after the password, such as a code from an app on your phone. CISA recommends turning it on for email, file storage and remote access [2]. It should also be on every admin account, meaning the accounts that can change settings for everyone [2]. Training should explain why that extra step matters, so people don’t try to switch it off.
6. Fake payment requests and boss emails
Scammers send emails that look like they come from your company or a vendor [3]. Some ask for a password. Others ask for bank account numbers or try to get someone to send money [3]. The FTC’s advice is simple: pick up the phone and call the person, using a number you know is correct [3]. Anyone who pays bills needs this lesson twice.
Our post on types of fraud to watch out for covers more scams staff may meet outside work too.
7. Scam phone calls and “tech support”
Not every attack is an email. A caller may claim your computer has a problem and ask for remote access, which lets them control your computer from somewhere else. The FTC says to hang up on tech support calls you didn’t expect, even when the number looks local [3]. Staff should never give a password or remote access to someone who contacted them out of the blue [3].
8. Devices, updates and working from home
Teach staff to accept updates, restart their devices often and ask before installing new apps on work devices [2]. Lock away paper files and devices that hold private information [3]. For home and travel, cover the risks of public Wi-Fi [3]. Home routers should use WPA2 or WPA3. These settings scramble Wi-Fi traffic so outsiders can’t read it [3].
How often to train, with a simple plan
CISA says once-a-year training isn’t enough, because threats keep changing [1]. The FTC suggests a regular training schedule and tracking who attends [3]. For a small team, short and often works better than long and rare. Here is a plan you can copy that spreads the lessons over four months.
| When | What to do | Time it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Month 1 | Main session on topics 1 to 3, with real examples | About 45 minutes |
| Month 2 | Turn on MFA and a password manager together (topics 4 and 5) | About 30 minutes |
| Month 3 | Payment and phone scams (topics 6 and 7), acting out a scam call | About 20 minutes |
| Month 4 | Devices, updates and home Wi-Fi (topic 8) | About 20 minutes |
| Every month after | One 10-minute reminder on a scam in the news | 10 minutes |
| Twice a year | A practice phishing email to see who reports it | A few minutes each |
New staff should get the first three lessons in their first week. Name one person to watch for new scams and share them with the team between sessions [1].
Free materials you can use
You don’t have to build training from scratch. Free lessons exist for most security awareness training topics. CISA notes that IT providers, trade groups and nonprofits often offer materials at no cost [1]. The FTC points to free phishing simulators from Microsoft and KnowBe4 [3]. A phishing simulator sends a harmless fake phishing email so you can see who spots it.
CISA also offers free tabletop exercises, which are practice talks where your team walks through an attack step by step [1]. If a term in any of these is new to you, our cybersecurity glossary explains it.
What training can’t do
Training lowers risk. It doesn’t remove it. Even careful people click on a good fake now and then. That is why training should sit next to other basics: strong passwords, MFA and software updates [2].
Plan for the bad day too. Decide now who staff should call if they click something. Also decide how to cut a computer off the network fast, for example by turning off its Wi-Fi or unplugging its cable [3].
Training also fades. A one-time session followed by silence is easy to forget.
How we can help
Allen’s InfoSec Agency offers information security training for small business teams. In-person sessions take place at your workplace or another venue you choose, and self-paced training lets staff learn on their own time. Training covers phishing, vishing (phone phishing), impersonation and other threats your staff face every day. To talk about which of these security awareness training topics fit your team, contact us or ask about our free information security audit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important security awareness training topic?
Phishing. It was the most reported cybercrime in the FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report [1]. It is also how most ransomware attacks start [3]. Ransomware is software that locks your files until you pay. If you only have time for one lesson, teach staff to spot a phishing message and check it with a call.
How long should a training session be?
Shorter than most people think. We suggest a first session of 30 to 45 minutes, then 10-minute monthly reminders. That keeps lessons fresh without taking people away from work for long.
Do very small businesses really need security training?
Yes. A business with three people still has email, bank accounts and customer data. Without an IT team, each person has to spot problems alone. An hour on the core security awareness training topics costs far less than cleaning up after one bad click.
This post is for general information. Every business is different, so check any change against your own systems or talk to a security professional first.
Sources
- Teach Employees to Avoid Phishing, CISA: FBI phishing figure, red flags, checking requests, reporting, once-a-year training not enough, free materials, tabletop exercises
- Four Cybersecurity Essentials for Businesses, CISA: passwords, password managers, MFA, updates
- Cybersecurity for Small Business, Federal Trade Commission: training schedule, business email imposters, tech support scams, physical security, Wi-Fi, phishing simulators