Security Awareness Email to Employees: 10 Ready-to-Use Templates, Timing Tips and Ways to Avoid Spam Filters

A good security awareness email to employees is short, specific and easy to act on: it names one threat, shows what it looks like, tells staff exactly what to do and gives them one place to report it. Below you will find 10 ready-to-use templates, guidance on timing and frequency, and the technical checks (SPF, DKIM, DMARC and content testing) that stop your own awareness emails from landing in spam or being mistaken for phishing. Before you send any of them, paste the copy into our free email spam checker to catch risky wording.

What is a security awareness email to employees?

It is an internal message from IT, security, HR or leadership that teaches staff how to spot and respond to a specific cyber risk. Unlike a policy document, it is brief and practical.

Most organisations use them for regular education, alerts about live scams, themed campaigns such as Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and follow-up after phishing simulations or real incidents.

If you are looking for a broader mix that also covers cybersecurity sales and customer communication, see our 25 cybersecurity email templates for sales, outreach and employee awareness. This article focuses on the internal side: emails to your own team.

How do you write a security awareness email employees will actually read?

1. Pick one topic. One threat, one behaviour. A list of 15 rules gets skimmed and forgotten.
2. Write a plain, honest subject line. “Security tip: how to spot a fake invoice email” beats “URGENT: ACTION REQUIRED”. The second looks like phishing.
3. Open with why it matters to them. Mention the real-world scenario: a fake payroll change request, a delivery text, a shared document link.
4. Show the warning signs. Use a short bullet list: mismatched sender domain, unexpected attachment, pressure to act fast, request for credentials or payment.
5. Give clear actions. “Do not click. Use the Report Phishing button. If you already clicked, call the IT help desk on [number].”
6. State how IT contacts staff. For example: “IT will never ask for your password by email.” This line alone helps people spot impersonation.
7. Sign off as a real person or team. Include a name, role and internal contact, not a no-reply address.
8. Keep links to a minimum. Link only to your intranet or training portal, and show the full, recognisable URL.

10 security awareness email templates you can copy

Replace everything in [brackets].

1. Welcome email for new security awareness training

Subject: Your security awareness training starts this week

Hi [First name],

Welcome to [Company]’s security awareness programme. Over the next few weeks you will receive short training modules in [platform name], each taking about [X] minutes.

Most attacks start with an email, message or phone call, so you are our best defence.

What to do now:

• Log in to [training portal URL] using your normal company sign-in.
• Complete the first module by [date].
• Save the IT help desk contact: [email / phone / chat channel].

IT will never ask for your password by email, chat or phone. If anyone does, report it.

Thanks,
[Name], [Role], [Company] IT Security

2. Phishing awareness email to employees

Subject: How to spot a phishing email in 30 seconds

Hi team,

Phishing emails try to trick you into clicking a link, opening a file or sharing login details. Before you act on any email, check these signs:

• The sender’s address does not match the company it claims to be from.
• It creates pressure: “account suspended”, “pay within 1 hour”.
• It asks for passwords, codes, gift cards or bank changes.
• The link text and the real web address (hover to check) do not match.
• It has an attachment you were not expecting.

If something looks wrong, do not click. Use the [Report Phishing button / forward to security@company.com]. If you already clicked or entered details, contact [help desk number] straight away. You will not be in trouble for reporting.

[Name], IT Security

3. Password and passphrase reminder

Subject: Security tip: use passphrases and a password manager

Hi [First name],

Reused passwords are one of the easiest ways for attackers to get into accounts. When one website is breached, criminals try the same login everywhere else.

• Use a long passphrase, such as four or more random words.
• Never reuse your work password on any other site.
• Store passwords in [approved password manager], not in documents or browsers on shared devices.
• Change a password immediately if you think it has been exposed, and tell IT.

Need help setting up [password manager]? Book a 10-minute session at [link].

[Name], IT Security

4. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) rollout

Subject: Action needed by [date]: turn on multi-factor authentication

Hi team,

From [date], multi-factor authentication (MFA) will be required for [email / VPN / all company apps]. MFA means a stolen password alone is not enough to get into your account.

How to set it up (about 5 minutes):

1. Install [authenticator app] on your phone.
2. Go to [internal setup page] and follow the steps.
3. Keep your backup codes somewhere safe.

Important: only approve an MFA prompt when you are signing in yourself. If you receive a prompt you did not trigger, deny it and report it to [help desk].

[Name], IT

5. Active phishing alert

Subject: Security alert: fake [Microsoft 365 / DocuSign / payroll] emails reported today

Hi all,

Several colleagues have received emails pretending to be from [service]. They ask you to “review a document” and lead to a fake login page.

What it looks like:

• Sender: [display name] from an outside address such as [example domain]
• Subject line: “[subject used by attackers]”

What to do:

• Do not click the link or enter your password.
• Report it with [Report Phishing button] and delete it.
• If you entered your password, reset it at [internal link] and call [help desk number] now.

Thank you to everyone who reported it quickly.

[Name], IT Security

6. Business email compromise and invoice fraud

Subject: Reminder: always verify payment and bank detail changes

Hi [Finance / Accounts / all staff],

Criminals often pose as suppliers, executives or colleagues and ask for an urgent payment or a change to bank details. These emails can come from look-alike domains or even real, hacked accounts.

Our rule:

• Never change payment details based on an email alone.
• Call the requester on a number you already have on file, not one in the email.
• Requests for gift cards or secrecy are always a warning sign.
• Escalate anything unusual to [finance manager] and [security contact].

[Name], [Role]

7. Cybersecurity Awareness Month kickoff (October)

Subject: October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month: here is our plan

Hi everyone,

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Each week we will share one short, practical tip:

• Week 1: recognising and reporting phishing
• Week 2: strong passphrases and a password manager
• Week 3: turning on multi-factor authentication everywhere
• Week 4: keeping software and devices updated

Join our [30-minute live session] on [date] at [time]. Questions are welcome at [channel or email].

[Name], [Role]

8. Phishing simulation results (blame-free)

Subject: Results from last month’s phishing test, and what we learned

Hi team,

Last month we ran a practice phishing exercise. The email pretended to be [scenario]. Here is what it got right that made it convincing:

• A familiar brand name and logo
• A deadline that created pressure
• A sender address that looked close to, but not the same as, a real one

Thank you to everyone who reported it. If you clicked, there is no penalty. A short refresher module is waiting for you in [training portal].

Next step for everyone: when in doubt, report. It takes five seconds.

[Name], IT Security

9. Remote work and public Wi-Fi safety

Subject: Working remotely? Five quick security habits

Hi [First name],

• Connect through [company VPN] when you use public or hotel Wi-Fi.
• Lock your screen whenever you step away.
• Keep work files in [approved storage], not personal drives or email.
• Install updates on your laptop and phone when prompted.
• Report a lost or stolen device to [help desk] within the hour.

[Name], IT

10. Incident follow-up and “what to do next”

Subject: Update on the [date] security incident and steps for you

Hi all,

On [date] we detected [brief, factual description]. The issue has been [contained / resolved]. Here is what you need to do:

• Reset your password at [internal link] by [date].
• Watch for follow-up emails that reference this incident; attackers often copy real news.
• We will never send a link asking you to “verify” your account about this incident. Use the intranet instead.

We will share another update by [date]. Contact [security contact] with any questions.

[Name], [Role]

Which template should you use, and when?

Template	Best moment to send	Main goal
Training welcome	New hire week, programme launch	Set expectations and contacts
Phishing awareness	Quarterly, and after spikes in reports	Teach warning signs
Password tip	Monthly tip rotation	Stop password reuse
MFA rollout	Two to three weeks before enforcement	Drive setup by a deadline
Active phishing alert	Same day a campaign is detected	Contain a live threat
Invoice fraud	Finance onboarding, year-end, supplier changes	Enforce call-back checks
Awareness Month kickoff	First working day of October	Announce the campaign
Simulation results	One to two weeks after a test	Reinforce learning, no blame
Remote work tips	Before travel seasons, new remote hires	Build safe habits
Incident follow-up	As soon as facts are confirmed	Give clear next steps

How often should you send a security awareness email to employees?

There is no single legal frequency for most private companies, so build a rhythm that keeps security visible without causing fatigue.

• Baseline: one short tip every two to four weeks.
• Campaigns: one email per week during October for Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
• Onboarding: a welcome email in the first week, then a follow-up after 30 days.
• Alerts: immediately, whenever a live campaign targets your company.
• Simulations: share lessons one to two weeks after each test.

Send on weekday mornings in each team’s local time zone, avoid Friday afternoons for anything that needs action, and keep the sender and format consistent. Consistency is itself a security control: staff learn what a real IT email looks like, so a fake one stands out.

What is Cybersecurity Awareness Month?

Cybersecurity Awareness Month takes place every October. In the United States it is led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) together with the National Cybersecurity Alliance. CISA publishes free resources on its Cybersecurity Awareness Month page that you can link from your internal emails.

Why do security awareness emails end up in spam or get reported as phishing?

It sounds ironic, but it happens often. Awareness emails talk about passwords, accounts, links and urgency, which are exactly the patterns spam filters and trained employees look for. Common causes:

• The email is sent through a third-party training or newsletter platform that is not authorised in your SPF record or not signing with DKIM for your domain.
• Your DMARC policy is set to quarantine or reject, and the third-party sender fails alignment.
• The subject line uses alarm words such as “urgent”, “verify your account” or “password expired”.
• Links use URL shorteners or tracking domains that do not match your company domain.
• The email comes from a no-reply or unfamiliar address with no named sender.
• It is image-heavy with little text, or the HTML is messy.

How to make sure your security awareness emails reach the inbox

Follow these steps once for each tool that sends email on your behalf, then re-check whenever you add a new platform.

1. Run a domain health check. Start with our domain health checker to see SPF, DKIM, DMARC, MX and blacklist status in one place.
2. Authorise every sender in SPF. Add the include for your training platform or internal mailer to your SPF record. Remember the limit of 10 DNS lookups set by RFC 7208. Validate the result with our SPF checker.
3. Sign with DKIM on your own domain. Ask the platform for custom DKIM signing (2048-bit keys where supported) and confirm the record with the DKIM checker.
4. Publish and monitor DMARC. A DMARC record (defined in RFC 7489) tells receivers what to do when SPF or DKIM fails alignment. Confirm yours with the DMARC checker, or build one with the DMARC record generator. Read your aggregate reports to spot senders you forgot.
5. Test the copy. Paste the subject and body into the LeadCanal email spam checker and rewrite any flagged phrases.
6. Clean the recipient list. If you email contractors, partners or alumni at external addresses, run the list through our email verifier first. Bounces hurt your domain reputation.
7. Allowlist simulations properly. For phishing simulations, use your email platform’s official setting rather than weakening filters. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 has an advanced delivery policy for third-party phishing simulations, and Google Workspace admins can configure allowlists and spam settings in the Admin console.
8. Send a test to several mailboxes. Check Gmail, Outlook and a mobile client. Look at the headers for “spf=pass”, “dkim=pass” and “dmarc=pass”.

If you send large volumes to external recipients, Google’s email sender guidelines apply. Since February 2024, senders of more than 5,000 messages a day to Gmail accounts must have SPF, DKIM and DMARC in place. For a side-by-side explanation of the three protocols, read SPF vs DKIM vs DMARC: what’s the difference.

Which words trigger spam filters in security emails?

No single word guarantees a spam folder, but combinations of pressure and credential language raise the risk. Compare:

Risky phrasing	Safer alternative
URGENT: verify your account now	Security tip: how to check a login request
Your password has expired, click here	Reminder: update your password through the intranet
Final warning, act immediately	Please complete this by [date]
Click here to confirm your details	Visit [intranet page] to review the guide
Free gift card for completing training	Finish the module to enter this month’s team draw

For more on content and reputation causes, see why emails go to spam and how to fix it, and if receivers report alignment problems, DMARC fail explained.

How do you stop employees mistaking your email for phishing?

Send from the same named internal mailbox every time, announce the programme in advance, never ask for credentials and point people to the intranet instead of login links. Supportive, blame-free wording also encourages people to report rather than ignore suspicious messages.

How LeadCanal helps your security emails get delivered

LeadCanal runs email infrastructure and authentication for B2B teams every day. The free tools above, plus everything on our free tools page, cover each check in this article. If you would rather have specialists audit your sending setup, our email deliverability service fixes authentication, alignment and reputation issues end to end.

Frequently asked questions

How do you write a security awareness email to employees?

Choose one topic, write a plain subject line, explain the risk in two or three sentences, list the warning signs, give clear actions and one report channel, then sign off as a named person or team.

What should a phishing awareness email to employees include?

The common warning signs (sender mismatch, urgency, credential requests, unexpected attachments), how to check links, how to report a suspicious message and what to do if someone already clicked.

How often should security awareness emails be sent?

A short tip every two to four weeks works for most teams, with weekly emails during October, immediate alerts for live threats and follow-ups after phishing simulations.

When is Cybersecurity Awareness Month?

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is held every October. In the US it is led by CISA and the National Cybersecurity Alliance, and many organisations run a weekly email series during the month.

Why are my internal security emails going to spam?

Usually because the sending platform is not authorised in SPF, does not sign with DKIM for your domain, fails DMARC alignment, or the copy uses alarm phrases. Check the domain and the copy before sending.

Should security awareness emails include links?

Keep links to a minimum and point them to your own intranet or training portal with a visible, recognisable URL. Avoid URL shorteners and never link to a login page from an awareness email.

Conclusion: key takeaways

• Keep every security awareness email to one topic, one action and one report channel.
• Use the 10 templates above as a rotation, adding alerts and October campaigns as needed.
• Tell staff how IT will contact them so impersonation stands out.
• Authenticate every sending platform with SPF, DKIM and DMARC, and verify with a domain check.
• Test the copy with a spam checker and remove pressure language before sending.
• Keep the tone blame-free and measure report rates and training completion over time.

Editorial policy

LeadCanal publishes practical guides on email deliverability, authentication and B2B data. Every article is written to solve a specific problem, reviewed for technical accuracy and updated when standards or provider rules change. We avoid invented statistics and cite official sources such as RFCs, CISA and mailbox provider documentation.

Content transparency

This article was researched with keyword data on what people search for around security awareness emails and checked against official documentation, including the SPF and DMARC RFCs, Google’s sender guidelines and CISA resources. LeadCanal offers the free tools mentioned here, and the templates are original and free to adapt.

About the author

Written by the LeadCanal team. We build verified B2B contact lists and run cold email infrastructure every day, which means configuring SPF, DKIM and DMARC, monitoring inbox placement and fixing deliverability problems for clients. That hands-on experience shapes the advice in our guides.