Hook Security Launches PsySec Advanced Security Awareness Training

On September 1, 2020, Hook Security launched PsySec Advanced, a security awareness training program built to replace the once-a-year annual course. It gives every employee a baseline course up front, then one short video course each month, running alongside Hook's monthly phishing simulations and the training video that plays the moment someone clicks.

The launch was announced on our blog and through a PRWeb release the following day.

What launched

PsySec Advanced has two learning tracks that run at the same time.

PsySec Essentials

An annual course that covers each area of security an employee should know for the year: phishing, passphrases, working remotely, and more. It sets a baseline for the whole company and brings new hires up to speed quickly.

PsySec Deep Dives

Each month, every employee receives one single-video course that goes deep on one topic. Deep Dives take subjects that are often hard to grasp and make them accessible and memorable. Essentials delivers the baseline once a year; the monthly Deep Dives are what drive a program toward maturity.

Why monthly beats annual

A single annual course asks people to remember a year of guidance from one sitting. That is not how memory works. PsySec Advanced spreads learning across the year in small, regular doses, the same spacing principle education research has relied on for decades. One topic a month is short enough to watch and specific enough to remember.

Built on what employees told us

PsySec Advanced grew out of an April 2020 update. At the end of each monthly phishing simulation, every employee started receiving their result, pass or fail, plus an invitation to watch that month's training video.

"Uncertainty doesn't contribute to a positive security culture," said Zach Eikenberry, CEO and co-founder of Hook Security. "We think it's important that people receive some positive feedback whether they passed or failed."

Something unexpected happened: employees who passed the simulation chose to watch the video anyway, because it was quick and funny. Training people opt into is the goal of PsySec, and PsySec Advanced was built to extend that from one video a month into a full-year program.

Designed for compliance

At launch, PsySec training was mapped to common compliance standards and controls, so organizations could document their program against:

• CMMC Awareness and Training practices
• NIST SP 800-171 controls 3.2.1, 3.2.2 and 3.2.3
• NIST SP 800-53 AT-2 and AT-3

Where it led

PsySec Advanced was the first full expression of what Hook now calls Psychological Security: training that works with how people actually learn instead of relying on fear and shame. Read what PsySec is and why psychology beats fear for the full methodology.

The Deep Dive format still anchors the program today. By January 2025 the library had grown to more than 100 video courses, including short Quick Hits lessons and industry-specific compliance training. You can browse the current catalog in the Hook training library, and see every milestone since on Company News.

FAQ

What is PsySec Advanced?

PsySec Advanced is the security awareness training program Hook Security launched in September 2020. It pairs an annual baseline course, PsySec Essentials, with a short monthly video course, PsySec Deep Dives, alongside monthly phishing simulations.

How is it different from annual security awareness training?

Annual training delivers everything in one sitting and is quickly forgotten. PsySec Advanced sets a baseline once a year, then reinforces one topic every month, so learning is spread out and repeated.

Does PsySec Advanced still exist?

The program evolved into Hook's current security awareness training. The monthly deep-dive format and the PsySec methodology remain at its core, now with a library of more than 100 video courses.

About Hook Security

Hook Security is a security awareness training and phishing simulation platform built for MSPs and SMBs. Its PsySec methodology uses psychology and humor to create real behavior change. Media resources are in the Hook press kit.