f you’re like most small or mid-sized law, accounting, or healthcare firms, you’ve likely been asked a familiar question on your cyber liability insurance application:

“Do you conduct regular security awareness training and phishing simulations?”

It’s there for a reason.

Because in the real world, your people—not your firewalls—are your biggest risk. And while email is the backbone of how SMBs work, it’s also the front door for most cyberattacks.

📥 The Problem Isn’t Just Technology—It’s Behavior

Even with the best cybersecurity stack in place, a single click on the wrong email link can bypass everything.

• A partner rushing between client meetings

• A staff member just “trying to be helpful”

• An office manager unfamiliar with spoofed sender addresses

All it takes is one mistake.

Training is what builds that critical moment of hesitation—the second it takes to stop, question, and avoid clicking something they shouldn’t.

✅ Why Awareness Training Actually Matters

• It’s required for many compliance frameworks (HIPAA, IRS Pub. 4557, ABA guidance, etc.)

• It’s expected by cyber insurers (and can reduce premiums if done properly)

• It gives your firm proof that you're doing your part to reduce risk

But here’s the catch:
Just having a training platform isn’t enough.

🚨 What Happens When You “Set It and Forget It”

We’ve seen firms invest in great tools like Breach Secure Now, but then:

• No one monitors completions

• Simulations aren’t configured

• Users ignore reminders

• No reporting gets reviewed

• Admin access is locked down to one overworked manager

End result? The box may be technically checked—but the team still doesn’t know what a phishing attempt looks like, and the risk remains wide open.

🧠 You Need an Internal Champion

The most successful firms we support always have one thing in common:
An internal point person with admin access to the training platform.

This person:

• Follows up with users who fall behind

• Watches for high-risk clickers

• Customizes training topics for different roles

• Runs short, realistic simulations that don’t annoy people

• Partners with IT to track improvements over time

We can handle the tech—but your firm needs a human advocate for security.

🔍 What Should SMB Firms Do?

1. Audit your training platform
   Are trainings actually being completed? Are simulations running monthly?

2. Assign an internal champion
   Give them admin access and include training status in staff meetings.

3. Use role-based content
   Partners, front desk staff, and finance teams face different risks—train accordingly.

4. Make it routine
   Quarterly training and monthly simulations work well for most SMBs.

🛡️ Final Thought

Cybersecurity isn’t just about having tools—it’s about using them correctly.
The human side of security is your biggest vulnerability, but also your biggest opportunity.

If you’re unsure whether your training platform is helping—or just gathering digital dust—let’s take a look together.

Big Water Technologies can help you choose, implement, and manage a training platform that actually protects your people.

📩 Reach out today if you want to reduce your real-world risk—and meet your compliance and insurance requirements in the process.