But there is one element that, more than anything else, continues to represent the true critical point of corporate security: human behavior. According to the 2023 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, 82% of data breaches have a human component. It’s not always negligence or inattention, but often unintentional mistakes, lack of awareness, or worse, carefully crafted deception. Cybercriminals no longer need to “hack” systems: they prefer to convince an employee to click, open, or authorize. And almost always, they succeed.
In this scenario, technology alone is no longer enough. Even the most advanced tools cannot protect us if the people using them are unable to recognize a threat or understand the consequences of their actions. This is where security awareness becomes central: a cultural strategy, before it’s a technical one.
Human error: the main cause of data breaches
Attack techniques have evolved, becoming increasingly subtle. Phishing is no longer a poorly written message with a suspicious link, but an email that appears authentic, written in perfect corporate style, signed by a colleague or a trusted supplier. Social engineering attacks are based on psychology, urgency, and familiarity: they trigger instinctive, quick, and often unconsidered responses.
Meanwhile, the global cost of cybercrime continues to rise. According to Cybersecurity Ventures, it reached $9.5 trillion in 2024. This staggering figure translates, in practical terms, to a loss of $255,000 every second. This figure alone is enough to explain why, today more than ever, for a company, preventing a breach is not just a technical issue, but an economic, reputational, and strategic one.
But is it true that “cybersecurity training for businesses doesn’t work”?
It’s often believed that training is just an administrative duty, a checklist to tick off to be compliant. But the reality is much more complex. A one-time, generic course that is poorly integrated into daily work has almost no impact. In fact, employees see it as an interruption, not as a learning opportunity.
A change in approach is needed: training must become an experience. It should be an integral part of the workday, not an interruption. It must speak the language of the people, not the language of technology. It needs to be short, concrete, and relevant. There’s no need to explain what a DNS spoofing attack is; what matters is helping employees recognize a suspicious email in their own work context.
Research shows that people can maintain focus for only a few minutes at a time—between 5 and 7. This is why the micro-learning approach, consisting of short training modules distributed over time, is now the most effective. Even better when integrated into the natural workflow, like a notification within the collaboration platform that alerts about a phishing simulation, or a real-time suggestion while interacting with potentially risky content. Every moment can become an opportunity to learn.
Gamification and motivation: how to truly engage employees
Another key component of training is motivation. People don’t follow rules because they are forced to, but because they understand their value. When training is well done, enjoyable, and stimulating—perhaps with a touch of gamification, leaderboards, department challenges, or symbolic rewards—employees feel engaged. And an engaged employee is far more effective than one who is simply informed.
Certainly, there is no magic formula. Every company has its own characteristics, and each team has its own habits. But what matters is the focus on the quality of the user experience: how is the training perceived? Is it clear, accessible, and practical? Or is it seen as a waste of time? Regularly assessing the satisfaction and effectiveness of the program, using tools like the Net Promoter Score or simple internal surveys, is essential to keep it alive and relevant over time.
How to build a corporate security culture: the role of 4IT Solutions
The ultimate goal is not just to prevent incidents. It’s to build a shared culture, where security is not just an IT issue, but a cross-functional value present in everyone’s daily decisions. A security culture is built over time, through small actions, consistent messages, and leading by example. It thrives on training, communication, and trust. Because no technology will ever replace the power of awareness.
For these reasons, we have launched a new program dedicated to cybersecurity awareness, with an innovative approach focused on the user experience. We promote continuous training paths that can be integrated across various platforms, such as Microsoft Teams, using 5-6 minute micro-learning modules, distributed over time and supported by gamification. The goal is simple: to offer effective, brief, and engaging content that helps employees recognize and prevent threats such as phishing, social engineering, and digital scams, without disrupting their daily operations.
