About this template

Phishing is still the most common way attackers get inside an organization, and awareness training works best when it teaches a short routine learners actually remember. This template gives security, IT, and people teams a polished phishing awareness course built around the Stop, Check, Report routine and the warning signs that show up in modern attacks.

The structure follows guidance published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for small business cybersecurity, so the lessons line up with widely recognized practice instead of one-off tips.

Who this is for

• Security and IT teams running annual or quarterly phishing awareness
• People and operations teams onboarding new hires with required security training
• Compliance leads who need an auditable, multilingual phishing module

Best use cases

Use this template for required phishing awareness, post-incident refreshers, new-hire security onboarding, and targeted training after a simulated phishing campaign. It is especially useful when teams want a consistent routine that works across email, chat, and SMS instead of separate trainings for each channel.

What is inside

• Warning signs across email, chat, and SMS, including urgency, unexpected attachments, and lookalike domains
• The Stop, Check, Report decision routine learners can apply in seconds
• Response steps after a click, reply, or credential entry so the team can contain damage
• Editor source notes pointing to NIST phishing guidance for reviewers
• Two knowledge checks covering warning-sign recognition and the correct reporting path

Source basis

This template is informed by NIST guidance on phishing for small business cybersecurity. Editor notes inside the template reference the original guidance so reviewers can update examples without losing the source trail.

Getting started

Preview the template, create your own copy, and replace the sample messages and reporting steps with your company's tooling and escalation paths. Keep the Stop, Check, Report routine intact, then adapt examples, language, and quiz answers to match your environment.