How our HootPhish simulations work

We would like to take a moment to explain the purpose behind the HootPhish exercise. These simulations are designed as training tools, not just tests. Each one is built to teach users how to identify the seven common indicators of a phishing email, which include:

Sender
Subject
Greeting
Spelling and Grammar
Sense of Urgency
Links
Attachments

Rather than being an “all-or-nothing” challenge, HootPhish is structured to help users recognize each of these elements individually within a single email, whether they appear safe or suspicious. Our goal is to reinforce correct identification through positive, real-time feedback, giving users the confidence to spot real phishing attempts in their actual inboxes.