Outsmarting the Hackers: Why Training Your People Is the Real Cyber Defense
The second post in a two part-series on why humans are the weakest link in cybersecurity, and how they could be the greatest asset.
In a previous post, I argued that the biggest cybersecurity weakness - and strength - lies not in technology, but in us humans. A careless click, a reused password, a moment of distraction — these seemingly small human actions can bypass even the best firewalls and the latest AI-driven security tools. That’s why we talk about building a human firewall—a workforce that's informed, engaged, and ready to defend against cyber threats.
But here’s the hard truth: This is more easily said than done. Catchy slogans alone won’t protect your organization. Turning people into an effective line of defense requires something much harder and much more human: training, culture, and understanding how people behave under pressure.
Why Training Still Fails — And How to Fix It
Let’s be honest: most cybersecurity training is designed to tick boxes, rather than changing behavior. A few slides, a quick quiz, and you're declared "cyber aware." But when that suspicious email lands in your inbox at 4 PM on a busy Friday? Awareness often goes out the window.
And the research confirms it.
A major systematic review by Prümmer et al. (2024) analyzed over 140 studies on cybersecurity training. The verdict? While training can improve behavior, many programs fall short because they:
❌ Rely on outdated methods, such as passive videos or posters.
❌ Are disconnected from real workplace situations.
❌ Assume all employees learn and behave uniformly.
❌ Focus on knowledge, not actual behavior change
In other words, training often treats humans like machines — input knowledge, expect output behavior. But people don’t work like that.
Real-World Behavior: The Missing Link
Khan et al. (2022) and others highlight how everyday workplace realities - stress, distractions, unclear policies - often lead to security mistakes. It's not that employees don’t care. It’s that in the chaos of deadlines and information overload, security slips down the priority list.
Similarly, Shen et al. (2023) demonstrated that organizations that view cybersecurity training as an investment in human capital, rather than an afterthought, achieve better outcomes. When employees feel supported, valued, and confident in their knowledge, they’re more likely to act securely, not because they’re forced to, but because they understand the value of doing so.
What Actually Works: Best Practices from Research
So, what separates effective training from forgettable lectures? The latest research points to a few key factors:
✅ Make it practical, not theoretical
Games, simulations, and real-world scenarios, such as the phishing defense game PhishDefend Quest (Yasin et al., 2024), provide a safe and engaging environment for people to practice their skills.
✅ Tailor it to real people, not stereotypes
Employees aren’t all the same. Studies reveal diverse behavioral types, ranging from overconfident "experts" to disengaged "repressors" (Aschwanden et al., 2024). Effective training speaks to those differences.
✅ Continuous, not one-off
As Shan-A-Alahi et al. (2025) emphasize, cybersecurity isn't static — neither is training. Regular refreshers, updates, and reminders are key.
✅ Involve leadership, build culture
Training is most effective in organizations where leaders demonstrate good security behavior and view mistakes as learning opportunities, rather than failures (Nasir, 2023).
✅ Connect to daily work
The most effective programs, as Prümmer et al. (2024) show, integrate security into daily tasks, reducing the gap between knowing and doing.
Beyond Awareness: From Training to Organizational Resilience
There’s a growing understanding that cybersecurity training isn’t just about individual behavior — it’s about shaping organizational culture. As Shen et al. (2023) argue, training should be viewed as a strategic investment in human capital, rather than a compliance exercise.
Think of it like this:
🔐 You can buy the best locks, but if people prop the door open, you’re still vulnerable.
👥 You can train individuals, but if the organizational culture prioritizes speed over caution, mistakes will inevitably occur.
True cyber resilience comes from aligning training, leadership, and daily routines — building an environment where secure behavior is the norm, not the exception.
Conclusion: It's Still About People
In a world of evolving cyber threats, the biggest risk and the greatest opportunity lie within us. There is a need to invest in human understanding, human-centered training, and human-focused culture.
The research is clear: with the right training, leadership, and culture, people aren't the weakest link. They’re the first - and often the best - line of defense.
References
Prümmer, J., van Steen, T., & van den Berg, B. (2024). A systematic review of current cybersecurity training methods. Computers & Security, 136, 103585. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cose.2023.103585
Khan, N., Houghton, R. J., & Sharples, S. (2022). Understanding factors that influence unintentional insider threat. Cognition, Technology & Work, 24, 393–421. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10111-021-00690-z
Shen, Y., Turner, C. B., & Turner, C. (2023). Cybersecurity training in organization as human capital investment. International Journal of Business and Management, 18(4), 38–49. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijbm.v18n4p38
Shan-A-Alahi, A., Hossan, K. M. R., & Rahman, M. M. (2025). Cybersecurity training and its influence on employee behavior in business environments. Computer Fraud & Security, 2025(12), 506–515. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/392919180
Nasir, S. (2023). Exploring the effectiveness of cybersecurity training programs: Factors, best practices, and future directions. Advances in Multidisciplinary & Scientific Research, SMART 2023 Proceedings, 151–160. https://doi.org/10.22624/AIMS/CSEAN-SMART2023P18
Yasin, A., Fatima, R., JiangBin, Z., Afzal, W., & Raza, S. (2024). Can serious gaming tactics bolster spear-phishing and phishing resilience? Information and Software Technology, 170, 107426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2024.107426
Aschwanden, R., Messner, C., Höchli, B., & Holenweger, G. (2024). Employee behavior: the psychological gateway for cyberattacks. Organizational Cybersecurity Journal, 4(1), 32–50. https://doi.org/10.1108/OCJ-02-2023-0004