Free Security Awareness Training for Staff and Teams
Last reviewed 4 November 2026. Provider facts were read from each provider's own page that day.
Short answer
Free security awareness material exists, but fewer full courses are free than the search results suggest. SANS calls its OUCH! newsletter free and monthly; CISA publishes Cyber Essentials for small organisations and a searchable training catalogue, though its pages do not state a price. PlayCISO adds a phishing quiz guide and free browser exercises.
Awareness resources from named providers
| Course or site | What the provider page says is free | Not free or not stated | Certificate or badge |
|---|---|---|---|
| OUCH! newsletter and awareness resources SANS Security Awareness | The page calls the OUCH! Newsletter "The world's leading, free security awareness newsletter", published monthly in multiple languages. | Nothing paid is listed on the page we read. | None. Other items on the page are not labelled free. |
| Cyber Essentials CISA | A guide for leaders of small businesses and small and local government agencies, with a Starter Kit and toolkits. The page states no cost. | Nothing paid is listed on the page we read. | None. |
| CISA training catalogue CISA | A searchable list of 98 training results (formats include independent study, instructor-led, video and webinar). The page does not say the training is free. | Nothing paid is listed on the page we read. | Certificates not mentioned. |
Accessed 4 November 2026. Providers change terms; confirm on the provider's page before you enrol.
Left out because we could not read a confirming provider page on 4 November 2026: the UK NCSC staff e-learning (the page we tried returned not found) and Google's phishing quiz (the page did not load its description). Check those providers directly.
Practise on PlayCISO
- Phishing attack types, with a 15-question quiz: vishing, smishing, spear phishing, quishing and BEC.
- Password strength checkerFree: a quick password habit check.
- Awareness program plannerNeeds a plan: plan a programme for your team.
- Phishing-resistant MFA plannerNeeds a plan: move beyond codes people can be tricked into giving away.
The full list of hand-picked free courses by role is the free cybersecurity courses library, which is the main PlayCISO page for this topic. For browser-based practice see hands-on cybersecurity training and labs.
Frequently asked questions
Is there free security awareness training?
Some. SANS describes its OUCH! newsletter as free and monthly, and CISA offers Cyber Essentials for small organisations. For a full course with tracking and reporting, many providers charge; check each page.
What is the best free security awareness training for employees?
We cannot name one best course. Use a short monthly source such as OUCH!, add a phishing quiz, and rehearse reporting. The planner on PlayCISO helps you set a programme.
Is CISA training free?
The CISA training catalogue page lists 98 results in several formats but does not say they are free, so check each listing.
Does awareness training reduce phishing risk?
Evidence varies and we have not cited a figure here. Training works best alongside technical controls such as phishing-resistant MFA.