For a company facing frequent phishing attempts, which email security gateways or phishing defense tools provide the best catch rates and user training?

For a company dealing with frequent phishing, BEC, and impersonation attempts, I’d evaluate both email detection and security-awareness training—they solve different parts of the problem.

Shortlist

Gartner's 2025 research includes Microsoft, Proofpoint, Mimecast, Abnormal, KnowBe4/Egress, IRONSCALES and others among the major email-security platforms, and emphasizes evaluating detection quality before secondary capabilities.Gartner+1

What the catch-rate evidence says

Be careful with vendor-published "catch rates": they aren't directly comparable because vendors use different datasets, threat populations and definitions.

For example, Microsoft's latest May–July 2026 benchmark reports that Defender missed 221 high-severity threats per 1,000 protected users and says this was 55.4% fewer misses than the next-closest SEG in its test. That's a Microsoft-run benchmark, so I'd treat it as useful evidence rather than an independent universal ranking.Microsoft+1

There is also evidence that layering matters. Microsoft's longer-term benchmarking found that integrated cloud-email-security products add their clearest incremental value in promotional/bulk filtering, while post-delivery remediation catches threats that make it through the initial filter.Microsoft

Proofpoint's own production analysis, meanwhile, reports that deployments placing Proofpoint in front of Microsoft Defender caught a median 27.1% additional threats across 696 deployments from July 2025–April 2026. That's useful for understanding the potential value of layering, but again it's vendor-produced evidence rather than an independent benchmark.Proofpoint

For the training component

If the objective is specifically changing employee behavior, I'd give training its own evaluation rather than assuming the email gateway's training module is equivalent to a dedicated awareness platform.

Look for:

• Realistic, continuously varied phishing simulations rather than periodic generic tests.
• Automated training triggered by risky behavior.
• Reporting of suspicious messages directly from Outlook/Gmail.
• Measurement of reporting rate, click/credential-submission rate and repeat failures, rather than merely training-completion percentages.
• Role-specific simulations for executives, finance, HR and IT.
• Immediate remediation after a failed simulation.
• Coverage of BEC, QR-code phishing, OAuth consent attacks and MFA/social-engineering attacks—not just malicious links.

A practical way to narrow it down

For a Microsoft 365 company, I'd put these architectures through a controlled pilot:

1. Defender for Office 365 alone
2. Defender + Proofpoint
3. Defender + Abnormal
4. Defender + a dedicated awareness platform such as KnowBe4

Then seed the pilot with the same controlled set of phishing/BEC scenarios and measure misses, false positives, time-to-remediation, user reporting and repeat-user failure rates. That gives you organization-specific catch rates rather than relying on incompatible vendor benchmarks.

Gartner's 2025 research also specifically recommends assessing email-security products across core protection, outbound protection, integration, power-user capabilities and managed-service scenarios rather than relying on a single overall score.Gartner

If you tell me your mail platform (Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace), company size, and whether BEC or credential phishing is the bigger problem, I can turn this into a more concrete 3–4 product evaluation matrix with deployment model, approximate cost category, training depth, and what to test in a proof of concept.

For the training component

If the objective is specifically changing employee behavior, I'd give training its own evaluation rather than assuming the email gateway's training module is equivalent to a dedicated awareness platform.

Look for:

When dealing with high volumes of sophisticated phishing (such as credential harvesting, business email compromise, and zero-day social engineering), relying on a single traditional Secure Email Gateway (SEG) is rarely enough. The industry has largely shifted toward layered architectures : combining an AI-driven email security platform to catch what slips through native filters, paired with a specialized human-risk/training platform to turn employees into an active defense layer.

The top-performing solutions categorized by catch rates and user training efficacy include:

Top Email Security Gateways (Best Catch Rates & AI Detection)

• Abnormal Security: Abnormal Security is a market leader in behavioral AI-based email security. Rather than relying strictly on known threat signatures or reputation lists, it builds a baseline of normal communication behavior. It excels at catching zero-day spear phishing, vendor email compromise, and internal account takeovers that bypass traditional SEGs.
• Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration: Widely recognized as a top performer in email security evaluations (such as Gartner Magic Quadrant reports), Harmony boasts exceptional catch rates (9 9%+). It deploys via API with one-click setup and secures not just email, but lateral collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and OneDrive.
• Proofpoint Email Security: Long considered an enterprise gold standard, Proofpoint combines a robust secure email gateway with powerful "time-of-click" URL protection and threat intelligence. It is exceptionally strong at correlating multi-channel threats and isolating malicious payloads before delivery.
• IRONSCALES: IRONSCALES is a favorite for mid-market and enterprise teams looking for automated, AI-driven email security paired with crowdsourced incident response. It emphasizes speed in removing zero-day phishing attacks from inboxes post-delivery using collaborative reporting.

Top Phishing Defense & User Training Tools (Best Behavioral Change)

• KnowBe4: KnowBe4 remains the undisputed heavyweight in security awareness training and simulated phishing. It features the world's largest library of training templates, modules, and AI-driven real-time coaching (via AIDA). Their benchmark data consistently shows that consistent training through KnowBe4 can drop an organization's "Phish-prone Percentage" significantly within 12 months.
• Hoxhunt: Hoxhunt takes a heavily gamified, behavioral-science approach to training. Instead of periodic, long-form compliance modules, it delivers micro-simulations tailored to an individual’s risk profile and real-time responsiveness. It boasts exceptionally high employee reporting rates and engagement compared to traditional checkbox training.
• Cofense: Cofense focuses heavily on the human-reported feedback loop. Their platform combines realistic, scenario-based phishing simulations with an easy-to-use employee reporting button that feeds directly into an automated incident response workflow, bridging the gap between training and SOC triage.
• : If you opt for at the gateway level, their integrated human-centric awareness modules sync seamlessly, utilizing targeted micro-training triggered dynamically when a user fails a simulated test or interacts with a borderline risk email.

To help narrow down the ideal stack for your organization, could you share:

• What email infrastructure you use (e.g., Microsoft 365, Google Workspace)?
• Your approximate seat count / company size?
• Whether you prefer an integrated single-vendor suite (like Proofpoint or Mimecast) or a best-of-breed multi-vendor stack?

If phishing is frequent, I’d prioritize real-world phishing/BEC catch rate, post-delivery remediation, and integrated user training rather than traditional spam-filter scores. Gartner’s 2025 email-security research specifically emphasizes the growing importance of social-engineering/BEC defenses.Gartner+1

My shortlist

The three I'd evaluate first

1. Proofpoint — best overall enterprise choice. If your biggest problem is sophisticated phishing, executive impersonation and BEC, Proofpoint is one of the strongest choices. Gartner Peer Insights currently shows Proofpoint Threat Protection at 4.6/5 across more than 1,300 ratings, while Gartner includes it among the leading vendors in its 2025 email-security evaluation.Gartner+1

Proofpoint also publishes production comparisons rather than relying solely on lab tests; in its latest analysis of 696 deployments, it reported that customers running Proofpoint ahead of Microsoft Defender caught a median 27.1% additional threats. That's vendor-reported data, so I'd validate it in your own pilot.Proofpoint

2. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 — best if you're already all-in on M365. It's hard to justify paying for another gateway without first tuning Defender properly. It provides Safe Links, Safe Attachments, anti-phishing, automated investigation/remediation and reporting. Gartner Peer Insights currently lists it at 4.4/5.Gartner

One important caveat: Microsoft's published benchmark shows Defender performing very strongly, but those are Microsoft's own measurements. In fact, Microsoft's January 2026 comparison reported fewer missed high-severity threats than several competing SEGs. Treat that as useful evidence, not an independent head-to-head benchmark.Microsoft

3. IRONSCALES — best combination of phishing defense + employee training. This is particularly interesting if you don't want separate products for mailbox protection and awareness. Its platform combines mailbox-level detection, automated remediation, user-reported phishing feedback, phishing simulations and security-awareness training. Gartner Peer Insights currently lists it at 4.8/5.Gartner

What I'd choose by situation

• 1,000+ employees / high-value targets: Proofpoint + Proofpoint training.
• Microsoft 365 already deployed: Defender for Office 365 first; consider Proofpoint, Abnormal or IRONSCALES as an additional layer after measuring Defender's misses.
• Want one platform covering detection + employee behavior: IRONSCALES.
• Need a mature traditional secure email gateway: Proofpoint or Mimecast.
• BEC/executive impersonation is the dominant problem: Abnormal AI or Proofpoint.
• Training is the biggest weakness: KnowBe4, Proofpoint, IRONSCALES or Mimecast.
• Strong existing Check Point environment: Harmony Email & Collaboration is worth putting in the POC.

One important point: don't compare vendors using advertised “99.9% catch rate” figures. Those numbers often use different datasets and definitions. Gartner itself recommends evaluating detection quality first and looking at capabilities such as phishing prevention, URL analysis, attachment inspection, investigation and remediation.Gartner+1

For a serious procurement, I'd run a 2–4 week pilot using your organization's historical phishing/BEC messages and measure: missed malicious messages, false positives, time-to-remediation, BEC/impersonation detection, user-reporting rate, and phishing-simulation failure rate. That will tell you much more than generic catch-rate claims.

Proofpoint also publishes production comparisons rather than relying solely on lab tests; in its latest analysis of 696 deployments, it reported that customers running Proofpoint ahead of Microsoft Defender caught a median 27.1% additional threats. That's vendor-reported data, so I'd validate it in your own pilot.Proofpoint

2. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 — best if you're already all-in on M365. It's hard to justify paying for another gateway without first tuning Defender properly. It provides Safe Links, Safe Attachments, anti-phishing, automated investigation/remediation and reporting. Gartner Peer Insights currently lists it at 4.4/5.Gartner

One important caveat: Microsoft's published benchmark shows Defender performing very strongly, but those are Microsoft's own measurements. In fact, Microsoft's January 2026 comparison reported fewer missed high-severity threats than several competing SEGs. Treat that as useful evidence, not an independent head-to-head benchmark.

If phishing is a frequent problem, I’d shortlist Microsoft Defender for Office 365, Proofpoint, Mimecast, Abnormal Security, and Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration. There isn’t a single universal “catch-rate winner,” because results depend heavily on the threat set, deployment architecture, and whether the test measures pre-delivery blocking or post-delivery remediation. Gartner’s current email-security research specifically emphasizes evaluating detection quality first, then the surrounding capabilities.Gartner+1

My practical ranking

1. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 — best if you're already on M365

This would be my first choice for most Microsoft 365 companies, particularly if you're not already running another gateway.

Microsoft's recent real-world benchmarking reported fewer high-severity threats missed by Defender than the other SEG products it evaluated. In its November 2025–January 2026 data, Defender missed 171 high-severity threats per 1,000 users, versus 437 for Proofpoint and 404 for Mimecast. Microsoft uses its own methodology, so I would not interpret this as an independent universal ranking.Microsoft

Its Attack Simulation Training is also built directly into Defender and tracks clicks, credential submission, reporting behavior, and training completion.Microsoft Learn

Best combination: Defender for Office 365 + Microsoft Attack Simulation Training, potentially supplemented with a dedicated awareness platform if training is a major objective.

2. Proofpoint — my pick when maximum enterprise phishing protection is the priority

Proofpoint is probably the strongest all-around enterprise shortlist candidate if you're willing to pay for a premium platform. Gartner's 2025 Magic Quadrant names Proofpoint a Leader and gives it the highest Ability to Execute among the evaluated vendors.Proofpoint+1

It is particularly attractive for:

• Targeted phishing
• Business email compromise
• Executive impersonation
• Malware and malicious URLs
• Threat intelligence
• Automated remediation
• Security-awareness training

Proofpoint also has unusually strong integration between actual email attacks and awareness training. Gartner Peer Insights users specifically mention its phishing templates, reporting, and ability to turn real phishing campaigns into training simulations, although some users find the training component relatively rigid.Gartner

One important caveat: Proofpoint's published efficacy comparisons are vendor-produced. Its latest analysis of 696 production deployments reports a median 27.1% additional threat detection when Proofpoint sits in front of Microsoft Defender, but that's Proofpoint's methodology and shouldn't be treated as an independent benchmark.Proofpoint

3. Abnormal Security — particularly strong against BEC and impersonation

I'd put Abnormal high on the list if your biggest problem isn't commodity malware but convincing, socially engineered attacks: fake executives, vendor fraud, account compromise and unusual communications.

Its behavioral approach is particularly interesting because it can identify deviations from normal communication patterns rather than relying only on known malicious URLs or attachments.

4. Mimecast — strong suite if you want email + training together

Mimecast is a good choice when you want a broader email-management/security platform rather than simply the strongest possible detection engine.

Its current offering combines email security with Awareness Training, and Gartner's current market coverage includes Mimecast among the major evaluated email-security platforms.Gartner+1

I'd favor Mimecast over Proofpoint when email continuity, archiving/management and awareness capabilities in one ecosystem are particularly important.

5. Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration

A strong alternative, especially for organizations wanting API-based protection without necessarily replacing their existing mail flow. It also extends beyond email into collaboration platforms such as Teams and Slack. Gartner Peer Insights currently shows strong customer ratings for Harmony Email & Collaboration.Gartner

What I'd actually deploy

For a company experiencing frequent phishing, I'd narrow it to three architectures:

• Microsoft-heavy, cost-conscious: Defender for Office 365 + Attack Simulation Training.
• High-risk enterprise: Proofpoint + Proofpoint Security Awareness Training.
• M365/Google + sophisticated BEC/impersonation: Abnormal + a dedicated awareness platform such as KnowBe4.

The important thing is not to select based on a vendor's advertised “99.9% catch rate.” Ask vendors to demonstrate performance against your organization's actual attack types and measure:

1. Phishing delivered to inbox
2. Credential-phishing detection
3. BEC/impersonation detection
4. Time-to-remediation after delivery
5. False-positive rate
6. User-reporting rate
7. Phishing-simulation click rate over time
8. Credential-submission rate over time

That distinction matters because real-world benchmarking shows that post-delivery remediation can account for a substantial portion of protection even after a message initially gets through.Microsoft+1

Bottom line: If you tell me whether the company uses Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, approximate employee count, and whether the priority is maximum catch rate vs. training, I can give you a much tighter top-3 recommendation with likely licensing/deployment tradeoffs.

Its current offering combines email security with Awareness Training, and Gartner's current market coverage includes Mimecast among the major evaluated email-security platforms.Gartner+1

I'd favor Mimecast over Proofpoint when email continuity, archiving/management and awareness capabilities in one ecosystem are particularly important.

5. Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration

A strong alternative, especially for organizations wanting API-based protection without necessarily replacing their existing mail flow. It also extends beyond email into collaboration platforms such as Teams and Slack. Gartner Peer Insights currently shows strong customer ratings for Harmony Email & Collaboration.

What I'd actually deploy

For a company experiencing frequent phishing, I'd narrow it to three architectures:

When fighting high volumes of sophisticated phishing and Business Email Compromise (BEC), relying on a traditional Secure Email Gateway (SEG) alone is rarely enough. Modern attackers easily bypass signature-based filters, making a combined approach —using behavioral AI email security for catch rates, paired with a dedicated human-risk platform for user training—the industry standard.

Top Email Security Gateways (Best Catch Rates & AI Defense)

These platforms use API-based or inline cloud architectures to analyze internal/external communications, contextual user behavior, and natural language patterns to stop advanced credential harvesting and spear phishing.

• Abnormal Security : A dominant force in behavioral AI email security. Instead of relying on traditional reputation lists, it analyzes thousands of behavioral signals across Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace to stop zero-day phishing, invoice fraud, and BEC. Consistently rated as a top choice on platforms like Gartner Peer Insights.
• IRONSCALES : An AI-driven email security platform that combines automated mailbox anomaly detection with an integrated collaborative incident response and phishing simulation engine. It excels at crowdsourced threat intelligence and virtual analyst features that dramatically cut down remediation time.
• Proofpoint Email Security : Widely recognized as an enterprise heavyweight for threat intelligence. It offers deep contextual analysis, targeted protection against impostor threats, and seamless integration with its massive human-centric security ecosystem.adaptivesecurity.com+1
• Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration : Reinvented specifically for cloud environments. It intercepts phishing, account takeovers, and malware before they hit the inbox via robust API-based inline prevention, making it a strong alternative for modern multi-app workspace protection.gartner.com+1

Top Phishing Defense & User Training Tools (Best Engagement)

To turn employees from a vulnerability into an active defense layer, these tools focus on micro-learning, behavioral analytics, and high user engagement to reduce "training fatigue."

• KnowBe4 Security Awareness Training : The global market leader in volume and template variety. It features the world's largest library of simulated phishing templates and extensive compliance-oriented training modules. Data shows consistent use can drop an organization's Phish-prone percentage significantly within the first year.adaptivesecurity.com+1
• Hoxhunt : A pioneer in gamified, behavior-driven human risk management. Instead of scheduled, dry annual modules, Hoxhunt uses AI to deliver individualized, real-time micro-challenges based on active threat landscapes, earning high marks for sustained employee engagement.
• Proofpoint Security Awareness Training : Combines its elite threat intelligence data with simulation scenarios directly modeled after real-world attacks targeting your specific sector or organization.adaptivesecurity.com+1

Strategic Recommendation

If you want a unified ecosystem, platforms like Proofpoint or Barracuda offer tightly bundled gateway and training options. However, if maximum catch rate is your primary concern against AI-crafted spear phishing, pairing a specialized behavioral AI gateway like Abnormal Security with an engaging human risk trainer like KnowBe4 or Hoxhunt provides arguably the highest operational efficacy.adaptivesecurity.com+1

To help narrow this down, could you share:

• What email platform you use (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, etc.)?
• Your approximate seat count / organization size?
• Whether you prefer an all-in-one vendor or separate best-of-breed tools for gateway and training?

If your main problem is frequent phishing/BEC attempts, I’d shortlist Microsoft Defender for Office 365, Proofpoint, Abnormal AI, Mimecast, and Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration. There isn’t one universal “catch rate”: results depend heavily on whether you’re measuring malware, credential phishing, BEC, impersonation, or post-delivery remediation.

My 2026 shortlist

The interesting catch-rate data

Microsoft's latest published year-long benchmark found Defender for Office 365 missed fewer high-severity threats than the evaluated traditional secure email gateways in every quarterly period. In the February–April 2026 period, Microsoft says Defender missed 59% fewer high-severity threats than the next closest SEG.Microsoft+1

That doesn't mean “Defender catches everything.” In fact, Proofpoint's own production-data analysis of 696 deployments found that putting Proofpoint in front of Defender produced a median additional 27.1% threat catch—illustrating why vendor comparisons need to account for architecture and attack type.Proofpoint

Gartner's 2025 Magic Quadrant includes Proofpoint, Microsoft, Mimecast, Abnormal, Check Point, KnowBe4 and others as major email-security players. Gartner Gartner Peer Insights currently shows particularly strong user ratings for Abnormal (4.8), Check Point (4.7), Proofpoint (4.6), Mimecast (4.5), and Microsoft Defender (4.4), although user ratings aren't equivalent to controlled catch-rate tests.Gartner

What I'd choose

• Already heavily invested in Microsoft 365: Defender for Office 365 first. It's unusually compelling because of its native integration, automated investigation/remediation, Safe Links/Attachments and current measured performance.
• High-value targets / sophisticated phishing / executives: Proofpoint. I'd favor it when targeted attacks, impersonation, BEC and compliance are more important than simplicity.
• BEC and impersonation are your biggest problem: Abnormal AI is particularly attractive because its behavioral approach is designed around attacks that don't necessarily contain traditional malicious URLs or attachments.
• Want security + awareness training under one roof: Mimecast is one of the strongest combinations; its current offering explicitly integrates Awareness Training with email security.Gartner
• Employees repeatedly click/report poorly: KnowBe4 or IRONSCALES deserves serious consideration for the training/simulation side. IRONSCALES combines mailbox-level detection with phishing simulations and security-awareness training.Gartner

My practical recommendation: don't select purely on a vendor's advertised “99.x% catch rate.” Run a 2–4 week proof of concept using your own historical phishing/BEC samples, and measure (1) malicious messages reaching inboxes, (2) credential-phishing clicks, (3) BEC/impersonation catches, (4) false positives, (5) time-to-remediation, and (6) reduction in simulated-phishing failure rates.

If you tell me your employee count, Microsoft 365 vs. Google Workspace, and whether you want a replacement gateway or an additional layer, I can narrow this to the top 2–3 choices and compare likely cost, deployment, catch rate, and training capabilities.

That doesn't mean “Defender catches everything.” In fact, Proofpoint's own production-data analysis of 696 deployments found that putting Proofpoint in front of Defender produced a median additional 27.1% threat catch—illustrating why vendor comparisons need to account for architecture and attack type.proofpoint.com

Gartner's 2025 Magic Quadrant includes Proofpoint, Microsoft, Mimecast, Abnormal, Check Point, KnowBe4 and others as major email-security players. gartner.com Gartner Peer Insights currently shows particularly strong user ratings for Abnormal (4.8), Check Point (4.7), Proofpoint (4.6), Mimecast (4.5), and Microsoft Defender (4.4), although user ratings aren't equivalent to controlled catch-rate tests.

What I'd choose

When dealing with high volumes of sophisticated phishing, business email compromise (BEC), and credential harvesting, relying solely on native Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace filters is rarely enough. The market splits into Email Security Gateways/Platforms (SEGs/CESS) for catch rates and Security Awareness Training (SAT) for the human layer.

The top-performing solutions categorized by their core strengths provide exceptional efficacy in both detection and user education:

Top Email Security Catch Rates (AI-Powered & Inline API)

• Abnormal Security: Abnormal Security uses behavioral AI rather than traditional signature matching. It builds a baseline of normal communication behavior across your company, making it exceptionally strong at catching zero-day credential phishing, invoice fraud, and BEC that slip past standard gateways.
• IRONSCALES: IRONSCALES combines a robust secure email gateway with automated incident response (M-SOAR) and built-in phishing simulation. Its multi-tiered AI and virtual security analyst ("Themis") excel at mailbox-level anomaly detection and rapid threat remediation.
• Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration (Avanan): Check Point uses an API-based inline architecture that intercepts malicious emails (and collaboration threats in Teams/Slack) before or right as they hit the inbox. It boasts high catch rates with minimal false positives.
• Proofpoint Email Security: Proofpoint remains an enterprise gold standard. It relies on massive global threat intelligence, deep contextual parsing, and elite URL/attachment defense, making it one of the most reliable legacy-to-cloud gateways available.

Top Phishing Defense & User Training Tools

• KnowBe4: KnowBe4 is the undisputed giant for security awareness training. It features the largest library of interactive modules, video styles, and randomized phishing templates. Paired with its PhishER product, it effectively automates the triage of user-reported emails.gartner.com+1
• Hoxhunt: Hoxhunt takes a gamified, behavioral approach to human risk management. Instead of periodic, annoying compliance modules, it delivers individualized, micro-phishing training directly into employee workflows, driving significantly higher engagement and reporting rates.
• Cofense: Cofense bridges the gap between tech and human response. It specializes in continuous simulation combined with an easy one-click employee reporting button, feeding real human intelligence straight back into your security operations center (SOC).

To help narrow down the ideal stack, could you share:

• What email provider you use (Microsoft 365 vs. Google Workspace)?
• Your approximate seat count / company size?
• Whether you prefer an integrated suite (where training and gateway come from the same vendor) or best-of-breed separate tools?

For a company dealing with frequent phishing attempts, the strongest results usually come from combining email gateway detection + AI/behavioral analysis + user reporting + phishing simulation training. No tool has a perfect catch rate, so the goal is layered defense.

Here are the leading options by use case:

Shortlist recommendations

Best overall enterprise protection

Proofpoint + security awareness training

• Strong choice when phishing includes: - CEO fraud
• invoice scams
• supplier impersonation
• credential harvesting
• Particularly suitable for finance, healthcare, government, and large enterprises.CIOPages

Best if you already use Microsoft 365

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 2

• Usually the best value because it integrates with: - Exchange Online
• Microsoft Sentinel
• Entra ID
• Defender XDR
• Includes Attack Simulation Training, which can run realistic phishing simulations and assign follow-up training based on user behavior.Microsoft Learn+1

Best for reducing successful BEC attacks

Abnormal Security or Proofpoint

• Traditional gateways are good at known threats.
• AI-based tools tend to help more with “looks legitimate” attacks: - fake executives
• compromised vendor accounts
• unusual payment requests

Best user-training programs

Look for:

• Monthly phishing simulations
• Automatic remedial training after risky behavior
• Metrics by department/user group
• “Report phishing” button integration
• Risk scoring over time

Commonly paired training platforms include:

• KnowBe4
• Proofpoint Security Awareness
• Microsoft Attack Simulation TrainingMicrosoft Learn

What I would deploy for different company sizes

• <500 employees: Microsoft Defender for Office 365 (if on M365) + KnowBe4 or Microsoft training
• 500–5,000 employees: Mimecast or Abnormal + dedicated awareness training
• 5,000+ employees / high-risk industries: Proofpoint or Mimecast + Microsoft Defender layering + mature awareness program

Evaluation criteria to test vendors

Before buying, run a proof of concept measuring:

1. Phishing catch rate - Credential phishing

• Business email compromise
• QR-code phishing
• Malware attachments

2. False positives - Legitimate vendor emails blocked

• Customer communications delayed

3. User reporting - How quickly reported phish is removed from other inboxes
4. Training impact - Click rate reduction over 3–6 months

• Reporting-rate improvement
• Department risk trends

For many organizations today, a strong practical stack is:

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 + Proofpoint/Mimecast/Abnormal (if risk justifies it) + continuous phishing awareness training.