Security Awareness Training: Why You Need it for Your SOC 2 or ISO 27001 Audit

Is your service organization preparing for a SOC 2 or ISO 27001 audit? Then you’re probably familiar with the term security awareness training (SAT). If not, it’s a concept you’ll encounter sooner rather than later on your journey toward SOC 2 or ISO 27001 compliance, and for good reason. To prepare you for that moment, let’s start with the basics. 

SAT is a core requirement across nearly all major compliance frameworks, including ISO 27001, SOC 2, GDPR, and HIPAA. Why? Because even with the most advanced security systems, airtight controls, and flawless audit reports, your organization remains vulnerable if you overlook the risk of human error.

Even the best technology can be undermined by a simple mistake. In fact, 66% of CISOs in the U.S. identified human error as their organization’s biggest cyber vulnerability – from falling for phishing scams to misconfiguring systems or unintentionally leaking sensitive data. But before we go any further, it’s important to note that this isn’t a reflection on your employees. Most people simply don’t have the knowledge, tools, or support to properly protect themselves or your business.

That’s where effective SAT comes in.

ISO 27001 compliance audit vs SOC 2 compliance audit

SOC 2 is a set of standards for managing data, while ISO 27001 is an international standard for information security management systems. Both reporting frameworks overlap and share common traits and are considered exceptional benchmarks for best practices of security compliance.

💡 One of the key differences between the two is that one (ISO 27001) is a certification, and the other (SOC 2) is an attestation based on a professional evaluation done by an independent auditor. Another important difference to note is that SOC 2 is the preferred security framework in the US while ISO 27001 is the preferred framework in Europe. 

Both audits can provide distinct benefits to your organization, and if you’re still on the fence about which one is right for your business, we recommend having a look at our in-depth comparison of the two.

Regardless of which reporting framework you choose to use for your organization, it’s important to note that both consider security awareness training a compulsory requirement. Therefore, it’s vital to understand not only its importance but the value it can add to your organization, which is what we’re about to get into. 

What is Security Awareness Training and Why is it Important?

When it comes to information security, your employees are your first line of defense. No organization can mitigate risks effectively without equipping them to recognize and respond to threats.

Security awareness training (SAT) is all about helping your employees understand common cyber threats and, more importantly, how to avoid them. It’s not about turning everyone into cybersecurity pros – it’s about giving them the tools and know-how to make safer decisions in their day-to-day work. This can be done through training programs that are specifically designed to inform, equip and cover relevant topics that include your organization’s most prominent information security risks. 

So, why is security awareness training important?

Because it’s likely your organization has a new requirement for annual security training, and beyond that, the reality is that human error remains the biggest threat to your security posture. A strong SAT program turns your team into a proactive part of your defense strategy, ensuring they aren’t a liability, and plays a crucial role in preparing them for the challenges of information security.

Key Benefits of Security Awareness Training:

• Reducing the risk of breaches and data loss
• Meeting compliance needs like ISO 27001 training requirements
• Building a culture of accountability and safe behavior
• Improving your incident response time

And remember – carrying out regular security awareness training doesn’t just help you knock your compliance requirements out of the park, it also helps protect your business, your people, and your reputation.

Why Do Your Employees Need Security Awareness Training?

Every employee, no matter their role, is a potential entry point for cyber threats and malicious actors. Clicking a phishing link, reusing passwords, or sharing sensitive info without thinking – it happens more often than you’d expect, which is exactly why your organization needs SAT.

Previously, security awareness training was considered another obligatory requirement that needed to be ticked off. The fundamental, long-term value of investing proper time and resources into the training was overlooked. However, it’s become clear that, if done right, SAT has the potential to not only ensure compliance but also strengthen your security posture by equipping employees with the knowledge to actively protect your business.

Security awareness training effectiveness lies in how well it prepares people for real-world scenarios. It needs to be interactive, easy to follow, and tailored to the kind of risks your teams actually face. The right program will empower everyone – from interns to execs – to spot risks and respond the right way.

Here’s a quick comparison of SAT approaches, using ISO 27001 compliance as an example:

Training Type	Frequency	Effectiveness Level	Meets ISO 27001 Requirements
Traditional (yearly videos)	Once a year	Low	Bare minimum
Modern SAT (interactive)	Ongoing, monthly	High	Fully compliant

So, if your security awareness training still feels like a boring checkbox task, it’s time to rethink it. Your people deserve better, and your security depends on it.

Choosing the Right SAT Program

With the overwhelming frequency of cybersecurity attacks, employees are constantly faced with new threats (whether they’re aware of them or not). Fortunately, the modern workforce has a baseline understanding of cybersecurity, but without the right SAT program, cybersecurity knowledge can only go so far.

This is reflected in a recent Statista report, which showed:

• 45% of employees worldwide participated in computer-based training
• 37% took part in in-person cybersecurity training
• 34% engaged in online training sessions

This indicates a significant interest among employees in security awareness training, regardless of whether their company provides it or not. The willingness is clearly there, but that can only get a company so far if they’re unsure which SAT is suitable for their organization.

In addition, the wrong SAT program will inevitably dim the initial willingness and feel punitive, time-consuming and irrelevant, costing you valuable time, resources and money. So, what’s the solution? A needed shift away from traditional SAT programs. That shift means focusing on programs that not only raise awareness but change behavior.

Best Practices for Effective Security Awareness Training in the Workplace

Although SAT may not be anything novel to you or your organization, with the rise of sophisticated cyber attacks and the (very) fast-evolving threat landscape, traditional training programs just won’t cut it anymore. For starters, traditional security awareness training is often done on an annual or six-monthly basis, generally focusing on technical concepts. Although this may suffice from a compliance checklist perspective, it’s the bare minimum in terms of efficacy and due diligence. Traditional timelines perpetuate complacency regarding your security posture. They cannot engage people daily, nor does it teach them how to make security a part of their daily tasks and responsibilities.

You need data-driven training that sparks real behavioral change across the organization – think real-life scenarios, hands-on exercises, and incident response practice. The magic formula? Fostering awareness, but don’t stop there. The real win is turning that awareness into consistent, daily action. Here’s how.

Training that’s built for your workforce

It’s important to remember that your workforce includes people with different comprehension levels regarding cybersecurity, different learning methodologies and different attitudes towards the importance of SAT. To cater for all of the above, the right SAT (at the very least) should include the following: 

1. Different learner levels

Traditional training programs often focus solely on awareness campaigns. This doesn’t work anymore. In reality, a large majority may be aware of potential threats; they just don’t know what to do about it. Therefore, the right SAT program should accommodate all tech and learner levels within the organization, ranging from the unknowing, unsure, security-conscious, and well-versed in security practices.

2. Relevant training topics

If the topics are relevant, they will be more beneficial, as simple as that. Be sure that the topics covered within the SAT align with your specific threat landscape, security policies, and the scope of each employee’s job description. Include topics such as GDPR for data privacy, PCI-DSS for payment security, and HIPAA for healthcare information security, aligning with the respective compliance standards your organization must adhere to.

3. Recognize changing workforce needs

Now that millennials make up a significant portion of today’s workforce – and Gen Z is quickly joining them – SAT programs must adapt to modern learning preferences. What does that mean in practice? Digitization. For a compelling SAT program that brings about real behavioral change, the solution needs to recognize that a digitally inclined workforce learns best through engaging, tech-driven tools that support continuous learning and behavior change.

4. Promotes learner autonomy

When learners are given more autonomy over the learning process, they may feel more motivated, engaged, and likely to retain information. Therefore, it’s essential to gauge whether or not a training program gives users control over the learning process. That’s why it’s important to consider whether a training program gives users some control over the learning process -like completing it at their own pace or interacting with the content.

SOC 2 and ISO 27001 security requirements

Both ISO 27001 and SOC 2 insist that security awareness training be implemented into the long-term security policies of your organization. 

If you’re preparing for SOC 2, some of the compulsory requirements include that: 

• Your SAT program is completed every year
• Each employee in scope completes the full training program

Similarly, ISO 27001 looks at whether or not SAT has been implemented as a requirement for each role description in an organization and that the skills taught are implemented to ensure security as a mandatory priority for each employee. 

How to make sure your SAT is effective 

To ensure that the knowledge and skills provided to your employees won’t simply go in one ear and out the other, it’s important to tweak your training to ensure that your organizational culture remains security-focused even long after the initial training sessions. This can be encouraged by: 

1. Emphasizing critical training: Frequent critical training will help keep your teams sharp, prepared, and security conscious. 
2. Simulated exercises: Your employees may be clued up on how to identify threats and risks, but are they still familiar with what systems and response protocols to follow during a potential data breach? Allowing your employees to mitigate risk is a risk-free way of ensuring they have the necessary security training. 
3. Keeping it concise and relevant: By segmenting the content and making it relatable to specific teams within a security scope, you’re creating a space where learning is easy to digest and applicable. 

How is security awareness training measured?

Being that it’s considered a mandatory requirement for SOC 2 and ISO 27001, it remains one of the trickier controls to measure within an organization. This is why traceability is considered a key component of any SAT program. To help gather verified evidence of SAT, be sure to keep the relevant documentation or records that prove the successful completion of each employee’s training completion. This can include a: 

• A verified list of attendees
• Online course registration and completion reports 
• Quiz or internal testing results

Alternatively, you can count on us to collect evidence automatically verified for key audit standards and monitor controls 24/7. Security awareness training is included within our compliance automation tool, where employees can complete the training and then the results are automatically collected as evidence for your audit.

At Scytale, we understand the importance of intentional security awareness training which is why, as your trusted compliance partner, we’ve made it one of our core features. Your people are your greatest asset, let’s ensure that they aren’t just taught, but prepared. 

How Security Awareness Training Drives Real Change In Your Organization

Ultimately, the way you approach SAT is up to you. However, settling for traditional and irregular training solutions will hurt your organization. It perpetuates a culture of allowing the most critical security risks to slip through the cracks until your compliance slips along with it. Therefore, before tackling SAT head-on, keep the three core takeaways in mind:

• Your people make or break your cybersecurity posture.
• You must ensure you have the right tools and support to boost your security skills and knowledge. 
• The right SAT program isn’t just about awareness anymore; it’s about influencing a behavioral change, ultimately mitigating risk at every opportunity.  

FAQs

What is security awareness training?

Security awareness training (SAT) teaches employees how to recognize and respond to cybersecurity threats. It helps build good security habits, reduce human error, and protect your company’s sensitive data. It’s a key part of staying secure and meeting compliance requirements.

What are the benefits of security awareness training?

SAT helps prevent data breaches, reduces risky behavior, and builds a strong security culture. It empowers employees to handle threats like phishing and keeps your organization compliant with key security and data privacy frameworks like ISO 27001, SOC 2, GDPR, and HIPAA.

Who needs security awareness training?

Everyone in your organization needs it. From new hires to executives, all employees can face security risks. Security awareness training ensures everyone knows how to stay safe, no matter their role or technology skills.

How often should security awareness training be updated to maintain compliance with SOC 2 and ISO 27001?

At a minimum, training should be done annually. But to be truly effective and compliant, it should be ongoing – especially as threats evolve. Regular updates help keep employees informed and alert.