Phishing’s Favorite Target: What to Do About Habitual Clickers

Cybercriminals only need one employee to take the bait. While companies invest in advanced firewalls and endpoint detection, the human element remains the most vulnerable part of the cybersecurity chain. Within your organization, a handful of individuals may be quietly posing a significant risk—repeat clickers.

What Is a Repeat Clicker?

A repeat clicker is someone who frequently falls for phishing simulations or real phishing attempts. It’s easy to assume that most users learn from their mistakes, but data often reveals a different story. Certain employees click again and again, despite prior training or past warnings. These repeat offenders increase your organization’s chance of a successful cyberattack and put sensitive data, client trust, and operational continuity on the line.

Why Repeat Clickers Matter

While one accidental click can lead to trouble, repeated clicks raise your risk exponentially. Threat actors target behaviors, not just systems. They know there’s always someone willing to open an unexpected attachment, approve a suspicious MFA prompt, or share credentials with a fake IT department.

These users often aren’t careless — they’re overwhelmed, distracted, or unaware. Some may work in high-volume roles where emails flood in all day. Others may not fully understand what phishing looks like or may be afraid to report mistakes. Without the right interventions, they remain vulnerable and create a weak link in your security strategy.

Steps to Reduce Repeat Clicks

Mitigating risk from repeat clickers doesn’t mean pointing fingers or publicly calling out staff. It means equipping your team with the tools and support they need to recognize threats, react appropriately, and feel confident doing so. Here are a few ways to start:

1. Deliver Personalized Support
   Use your phishing simulation results to identify repeat clickers, then provide targeted coaching. Sit down one-on-one or send brief refresher modules tailored to the specific mistakes they’re making. A little extra guidance can make a big difference.
2. Increase Phishing Simulations
   Regular testing keeps awareness sharp. Vary the timing, complexity, and style of your simulations to reflect real-world tactics. Employees who fall for the same kind of email more than once need exposure to different techniques in a low-risk setting.
3. Make It Easy to Report
   Build a culture where employees feel safe admitting mistakes or flagging suspicious emails. Provide a simple method for reporting phishing — ideally with a one-click button — and recognize those who report real or simulated threats.
4. Use Metrics to Guide Your Strategy
   Don’t just track who clicks. Track who reports, who opens without clicking, and who ignores altogether. This data can help you tailor your training approach, identify outliers, and celebrate improvement.
5. Layer in Real-Time Education
   A good security awareness platform can deliver brief, in-the-moment tips when users engage with risky content. Reinforcing training at the time of action helps change behavior over time and builds muscle memory.

Why Cybersecurity Awareness Training Works

Security awareness training turns employees from potential liabilities into active defenders. It helps create a workplace where every team member understands their role in protecting data. When done right, it reduces the number of clicks and the time it takes to detect and respond to threats.

At Yeo & Yeo Technology, we offer managed cybersecurity awareness training programs designed to identify risk, address repeat clickers, and build a security-first culture. Whether you already have a platform in place or are starting from scratch, we’ll help you implement a training program that works — one that aligns with your organization’s needs and supports your employees.