Security doesn’t fail because of tools. It fails when human risk goes unmanaged.
Key Takeaways
- Human risk remains the leading cause of security incidents. Despite stronger technical defenses, most breaches still involve human error, misuse, or social engineering.
- Security awareness training (SAT) and human risk management (HRM) are not the same. SAT focuses on education and awareness, while HRM takes a broader, data-driven approach to identifying and reducing human-related cyber risk.
- Awareness alone doesn’t guarantee safer behavior. Employees may know what to do, but lasting risk reduction requires measuring, influencing, and reinforcing secure actions over time.
- Human risk management represents an evolution of security strategy. By shifting from one-size-fits-all training to personalized, continuous, and behavior-focused programs, HRM helps organizations move from reactive responses to proactive risk reduction.
In today's cybersecurity landscape, organizations face an ever-present and often underestimated threat: human risk.
Despite significant advancements in technological defenses, human error remains a leading cause of data breaches and security incidents.
Multiple industry studies and research reports consistently show that between 70% and 90% of data breaches involve some form of human related cause - whether through social engineering, errors or misuse. It’s why a recent study revealed that 74% of CISOs now consider human error their top cybersecurity risk.;
SAT has been a long held, well-established approach that has focused on education, awareness, testing and best practices. HRM, on the other hand, is a more comprehensive approach that aims to identify, quantify and mitigate risks associated with human behavior in a cybersecurity context. And, while the term "Human Risk Management" may be relatively new, the concept itself represents years of evolution in understanding how to effectively address human-related security risks.
While some still use SAT and HRM interchangeably, these strategies are fundamentally different—and understanding how human risk management (HRM) is different from security awareness training (SAT) is key to building a more secure organization.
Security Awareness Training
SAT is a well-established approach that focuses on educating employees about cyber threats, organizational policies, and best practices. SAT programs aim to raise awareness of risks like phishing, malware, and social engineering attacks. These initiatives typically include video modules, quizzes and simulated phishing emails to test employee readiness.
SAT plays a critical role in establishing a security baseline. It ensures employees are informed about the threats they may encounter and the appropriate steps to respond. However, SAT alone doesn't always result in lasting behavior change. It often follows a one-size-fits-all model, delivering the same content to all employees regardless of their individual risk levels, job roles or digital behaviors.
As a result, while employees may know what to do, that knowledge doesn’t always translate into action or different behavior. The gap between awareness and behavior is where SAT’s limitations become evident, and represents the primary difference between SAT and HRM.
Human Risk Management: A Paradigm Shift
HRM represents a next-generation approach to managing human-related cybersecurity risks. Rather than simply educating employees, HRM aims to identify, quantify and mitigate those risks through a holistic, data-driven lens.
HRM has evolved over years of learning and iteration. Leading organizations like KnowBe4 were among the first to recognize that employees are not the “weakest link” in cybersecurity—they are a critical layer of defense. This shift in thinking marks a profound departure from traditional SAT, which sometimes unintentionally placed blame on users for mistakes.
How Is Human Risk Management Different from Security Awareness Training?
Let’s break down some of the core differences between Human Risk Management and Security Awareness Training:
- From Awareness to Measurable Risk Reduction
- From One-Size-Fits-All to Personalized Learning
- From Static Training to Dynamic Defense
- From Compliance-Driven to Behavior-Focused
- From Reactive to Proactive Security Culture
1. From Awareness to Measurable Risk Reduction
SAT focuses on knowledge transfer. HRM focuses on risk reduction. The goal of HRM is not just to inform, but to drive behavior change through continuous engagement, personalized training and actionable insights. It’s not enough for users to know what phishing is—it’s about understanding, measuring and mitigating risks associated with human behavior by changing behavior.
2. From One-Size-Fits-All to Personalized Learning
Many SAT platforms treat all users the same, regardless of their unique risk profiles. HRM, on the other hand, uses AI and machine learning to deliver personalized experiences. Training content adapts based on an employee’s behavior, role, real-world threats and previous interactions—turning security awareness into an ongoing journey rather than a one-time event.
3. From Static Training to Dynamic Defense
HRM platforms integrate deeply with an organization’s security stack, leveraging real-time data from tools like phishing simulations, endpoint protection and incident response systems. This allows security teams to quantify risk at the individual level and prioritize interventions accordingly.
Instead of delivering static annual training, HRM builds a dynamic feedback loop—analyzing behaviors, adjusting training and closing gaps before threats are exploited.
4. From Compliance-Driven to Behavior-Focused
SAT is often deployed to meet compliance requirements. While that’s important, compliance doesn't always equal security. HRM shifts the focus from ticking boxes to truly understanding and influencing human behavior. It helps organizations move from asking “Do our people know the rules?” to “Are they making secure choices in real-time?”
5. From Reactive to Proactive Security Culture
Traditional SAT is often reactive—introduced after an incident or as part of annual compliance. HRM, by contrast, is proactive and continuous. It empowers organizations to anticipate human risk, track trends over time, and foster a culture where security is second nature.
The Role of SAT Moving Forward
It’s important to note that SAT isn’t obsolete. In fact, SAT is still a foundational component of any HRM strategy. However, relying on SAT alone is no longer enough. HRM builds on SAT, taking it further by adding measurement, personalization and integration with broader security efforts.
HRM transforms traditional SAT into a living, adaptive experience, designed to work with human nature instead of against it. An HRM platform should embed security into everyday workflows and behaviors. Whether through gamified training modules, just-in-time coaching, or contextual reminders, HRM+ meets users where they are and evolves as their risk profile changes.
Conclusion
HRM is not just a buzzword—it’s a critical evolution in how organizations approach cybersecurity. While SAT remains essential, it’s only one piece of a much larger puzzle.
By embracing HRM, organizations can move beyond awareness and into a model of measurable, actionable, and sustained risk reduction. In doing so, they transform employees from passive participants into active defenders—and create a human firewall that’s smarter, stronger, and more resilient than ever before.;
To see how human risk management can work alongside your existing security tools, explore the KnowBe4 HRM+ Platform and learn how it helps organizations measure and reduce human cyber risk.
