"We did a pen test last year, so we don't need phishing simulations." This is a dangerous misconception. They are complementary, not interchangeable. One tests the lock; the other tests the person holding the key.
Penetration Testing
- Target: Technology (Firewalls, Apps)
- Frequency: Annual or Quarterly
- Goal: Find technical vulnerabilities
- Executed by: Certified Ethical Hackers
Phishing Simulation
- Target: Humans (Employees)
- Frequency: Continuous (Monthly)
- Goal: Build behavior & awareness
- Executed by: Automated Platforms
Risk Coverage Comparison
Percentage of Breaches Caused by Each Vector
Human Error / Phishing91%
Unpatched Software40%
Misconfiguration25%
Why You Need Both
Hardens the Human Layer
Patches Technical Vulnerabilities
Meets Compliance Requirements
Tests Incident Response
Key Takeaway
"You can have the strongest firewall in the world, but if Mary in Accounting replies to a spoofed email and wires $50,000 to a scammer, your firewall didn't matter."
