In the context of cybersecurity and particularly within the framework of PhishGrid, a target refers to an individual within an organization who is selected to participate in a simulated phishing exercise. These exercises are designed to test the effectiveness of the organization’s security training and to gauge how employees respond to attempted phishing attacks. A target is not just a test subject but a critical component of an organization’s security awareness efforts.
Understanding a Target
- Role in Simulations: Targets are the recipients of mock phishing emails or calls designed to mimic real-life phishing attempts without the malicious intent. Their responses to these simulations help identify areas where more cybersecurity training is needed.
- Profile Information: The information entered for a target typically includes their name, email, job title, and contact number. This data helps PhishGrid customize the phishing attempts to be more relevant, which in turn, provides a more accurate test of the target’s vigilance.
- Behavioral Patterns: A target’s interaction with the simulation—whether they click on a link, report the email, or provide information—is tracked and analyzed. Their actions contribute to a profile of behavioral patterns that can inform the organization’s overall security strategy.
- Privacy and Ethics: When selecting targets, it’s important to handle their personal and contact information with care, adhering to privacy laws and ethical guidelines. The targets should be aware that they might be included in these simulations as part of the organization’s security protocols.
Additional Considerations:
- Demographics: Including a diverse range of targets from different departments and levels of seniority can help provide a comprehensive overview of the organization’s susceptibility to phishing attacks.
- Regularity of Simulations: Targets may be subjected to simulations at regular intervals to ensure ongoing vigilance and to reinforce training. Over time, a target’s response to simulations should ideally show an improved ability to identify and avoid phishing attempts.
- Feedback and Improvement: Information gathered from the targets’ interactions with simulations is valuable for refining future training and improving the organization’s phishing defense mechanisms.
Allowed Domains Restrictions
Allowed Domains: PhishGrid may have restrictions on the email domains to whom you can send emails. Ensure that the emails of users belong to domains that are authorized by your PhishGrid account settings.
Domain Verification: Prior to importing, verify that the domains of the email addresses in your XLSX file are on the list of allowed domains in PhishGrid. This can prevent import failures due to domain restrictions.
