IronSights

People & awareness

Phishing simulation

A controlled exercise in which security teams send realistic but harmless fake phishing emails to employees to measure click rates, identify vulnerable individuals, and deliver targeted training.

Also known asphishing testsimulated phishingphishing campaign test

In plain English

Phishing simulations are safe, controlled tests of your team's ability to spot phishing. Employees who click the simulated phish are immediately redirected to a short training module rather than punished. Over time, regular simulations — varied in theme and sophistication — measurably improve the proportion of staff who correctly identify and report real phishing attempts.

Keep learning

More terms in the IronSights Glossary.