Executive Reports: Insights on Repeat Clickers in Phishing Simulations
Explore the challenges of repeat clickers in phishing simulations, their impact on cybersecurity, and actionable strategies for executive leaders to address this recurring issue.
On this page 7 sections
Repeat clickers, employees who consistently fall for phishing attempts, pose a persistent challenge for organizations aiming to strengthen their human firewall. In this blog, we’ll explore the reasons behind repeated failures in phishing simulations, their impact on cybersecurity, and effective strategies for mitigating this risk.
Who Are Repeat Clickers (aka Repeat Offenders)?
Repeat clickers are employees who consistently fall victim to phishing attempts, whether in simulated scenarios or real-world attacks. These individuals represent a small but significant segment of the workforce that struggles to recognize deceptive email tactics, even after participating in security awareness programs.
Key Characteristics of Repeat Clickers
- Recurrent Behavior: These employees repeatedly fail to identify phishing emails, clicking on malicious links or providing sensitive information.
- Heightened Vulnerability: They are more susceptible to advanced phishing techniques, including quishing (QR code phishing) and vishing (voice phishing).
- Disproportionate Impact: Despite their small numbers, repeat offenders significantly increase an organization’s overall risk profile.
Why Do Repeat Clickers Matter in Phishing Simulations?
Repeat clickers or repeat offenders in phishing simulations are a critical concern because they represent a persistent vulnerability in an organization's cybersecurity defenses.
These individuals are more likely to fall for real phishing attacks, increasing the risk of data breaches, financial losses, and reputational damage. Moreover, their behavior often signals gaps in training effectiveness or workplace culture, making them a focal point for strengthening human resilience against cyber threats.
Increased Risk of Breach
Employees who repeatedly fail phishing tests are more likely to fall for real phishing attacks. The 2026 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report found phishing as the initial access vector in 16% of breaches and the human element in 62% (Verizon, 2026 Data Breach Investigations Report, p. 12).
Financial and Reputational Damage
Repeat clickers amplify this risk, making it imperative for companies to address this vulnerability.
Compliance and Legal Implications
Regulations like GDPR and HIPAA mandate stringent data protection measures. Failing to manage repeat clickers can result in non-compliance, hefty fines, and legal battles.
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Key Causes of Repeat Clicking
Repeat clicking often stems from a combination of factors, including a lack of awareness about phishing threats and cognitive biases that cloud judgment, such as overconfidence or inattentional blindness.
Generic training methods that fail to address individual needs can leave employees ill-equipped to recognize sophisticated scams. Additionally, workplace stress and fatigue exacerbate the issue, making employees more likely to act impulsively when confronted with phishing emails.
Lack of Security Awareness
Despite regular training, some employees fail to grasp the severity of phishing threats. Behavioral patterns often indicate they underestimate the risks associated with their actions.
Cognitive Biases
Psychological factors like overconfidence and inattentional blindness often lead employees to disregard suspicious emails.
Ineffective Training Methods
Generic, one-size-fits-all training fails to resonate with employees, especially those with distinct roles and responsibilities.
Workplace Stress and Fatigue
High workloads and constant distractions make employees more prone to errors. Stressful environments are breeding grounds for repeat clickers.
Strategies to Address Repeat Clickers
Addressing repeat clickers requires a multifaceted approach to enhance resilience and reduce organizational risk.
Tailored Security Awareness Training
Customizing training modules to address specific vulnerabilities ensures effective learning. Solutions like Security Awareness Training improve employee engagement and retention, helping to mitigate risks associated with repeated failures.
Phishing Simulations with Dynamic Scenarios
Phishing Simulations using tools such as the Phishing Simulator replicate real-world threats like quishing and vishing. Regularly updated scenarios keep employees prepared for evolving cyber risks.
Behavioral Analytics and Monitoring
Platforms like Keepnet's platform for human risk management and secure behaviour management provide insights into employee behavior. Identifying patterns helps isolate repeat offenders and enables targeted interventions to correct risky habits.
Gamification and Incentivization
Turning learning into an engaging experience through gamification can motivate employees to stay vigilant. Incentivizing phishing resistance, such as through quizzes or rewards, boosts participation and retention.
Executive Leadership and Cultural Change
Executive support is vital in fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness. Leaders should advocate for continuous improvement and underscore the importance of proactive defense measures.
Looking for more strategies? Check out our in-depth blog on Managing Repeat Clickers in Cybersecurity to learn how to address this persistent challenge effectively.
Segmenting Repeat Offenders to Mitigate Risk
Effective segmentation is significant for addressing risky employee behaviors that may jeopardize an organization's cybersecurity. Keepnet’s platform automatically identifies and categorizes Repeat Offenders, employees who consistently engage in risky behaviors, into a dedicated group.
This allows organizations to focus on these high-risk individuals with adaptive security training, tailored simulations, and targeted awareness programs designed to modify their behavior and reduce vulnerabilities. By concentrating efforts on these specific employees, organizations can more efficiently allocate resources and significantly lower the likelihood of security incidents caused by human error.
Tracking Progress: The Role of Metrics
As illustrated in the image above, Keepnet’s executive reports provide a clear breakdown of repeat offenders in phishing simulations. In this example, 70% of users (120 individuals) are identified as repeat offenders, compared to 30% (40 users) who passed the simulations. Such insights are critical for understanding the effectiveness of your cybersecurity training programs and pinpointing areas for improvement.
The Picture 2 visually displays two essential metrics:
- Current Level: Represents the percentage of users in your organization who have repeatedly failed phishing simulations. These repeat offenders are individuals who have failed more than once, indicating a need for further security awareness.
- Protection Level Agreement (PLA): A fixed benchmark set at 5%, designed to help organizations strive for an optimal security awareness level by reducing repeat offenders.
Key metrics to monitor include:
- Click-Through Rates: Assess the percentage of employees clicking on simulated phishing emails to gauge initial risk levels.
- Repeat Offender Reduction: Track progress in reducing the number of employees who fail multiple simulations, focusing on targeted interventions for these individuals.
- Training Effectiveness: Use post-training feedback surveys and quizzes to evaluate knowledge retention and comprehension of phishing threats.
By leveraging data-driven insights like those from Keepnet’s repeat offender reports, organizations can refine their approach to managing and mitigating human vulnerabilities. Learn more about these strategies in our blog on Managing Repeat Clickers in Cybersecurity.
How Keepnet Can Help You Address Repeat Clickers
Keepnet's repeat offender report groups these employees automatically, so follow-up phishing simulations and training can focus on the people who need them most.
| Metric Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Impact Metrics – Behaviors | These metrics measure the impact of our security education training. Specifically, is the security education program changing people's behaviors? |
| Impact Metrics – Culture | These metrics evaluate changes in the organization’s overall mindset and attitudes towards security. Specifically, are they changing people's attitudes, beliefs, and norms concerning security? |
| Impact Metrics – Strategic Alignment | These metrics measure how well the security education supports the company’s main security goals and, ultimately, the mission of our organization. These are the types of metrics senior leadership are more likely to be interested in. |
| Compliance Metrics | These metrics measure what our awareness program is doing, specifically who you are training and how. These metrics are most valuable for compliance and auditing purposes. |
| Ambassador Program Metrics | These metrics measure the activity and impact of a security ambassador program. |
Watch the video below to see how our executive reports help address repeat clickers in phishing simulations
Frequently asked questions
Repeat clickers significantly increase the risk of successful phishing attacks, leading to potential data breaches, financial losses, and reputational harm. They highlight gaps in employee training and overall cybersecurity strategies.
Phishing simulations should be conducted at least quarterly, with variations in scenarios to reflect emerging threats like quishing, smishing, and vishing. Regular testing helps reinforce employee awareness and identifies repeat offenders.
Industries such as finance, healthcare, education, and retail are frequently targeted due to their handling of sensitive data. However, every sector faces phishing risks, making training and simulations essential across the board.
Yes, gamification can engage employees by making cybersecurity training interactive and rewarding. Leaderboards, quizzes, and incentives create a positive learning experience, motivating employees to stay vigilant against phishing threats.
Executives can promote cybersecurity by setting a tone of accountability, allocating resources for comprehensive training, and actively participating in awareness initiatives. Their involvement demonstrates the importance of cybersecurity at all organizational levels.
Schedule your 30-minute demo now
You'll learn how to:
- Identify and mitigate risks associated with repeat clickers through advanced phishing simulations.
- Tailor security awareness training to address specific vulnerabilities within your organization.
- Benchmark employee performance and reduce human risk effectively.
30 minutes with a Keepnet specialist, on your own use cases.
Author
Ozan Ucar
Founder and CEO, Keepnet
Ozan founded Keepnet in 2017 and has worked in cyber security since 2006. He leads Keepnet's product direction and works with security teams on measuring and changing the behaviours behind incidents.