Generic security awareness training misses the scams Australian staff actually see — fake ATO debt calls, myGov phishing texts, and invoice fraud dressed up as a supplier's bank detail change. This guide ranks the platforms that build Australian scam scenarios into the curriculum instead of translating a US template with an Australian flag stuck on the login page.
TL;DR
- Cyber Aware wins for a security awareness platform with Australian scam examples — ATO, myGov and invoice fraud scenarios built for 2026 tactics. Buy.
- KnowBe4 and Proofpoint lead on global scale but treat AU scam content as an add-on layer, not the core curriculum. Hold.
- Hoxhunt and Cofense suit teams that want gamified engagement or simulation volume over AU-specific compliance mapping. Consider.
- Check update cadence before buying: platforms shipping new deepfake and PayID scam modules in 2026 stay relevant, the rest lag behind.
Why this matters
Australians reported losses of more than $2.7 billion to scammers in 2023, according to the ACCC's Targeting Scams report, and the tactics have kept shifting every year since. A platform built on generic phishing templates teaches staff to spot a fake courier email, not a caller claiming to be the Australian Taxation Office chasing an overdue debt. Cyber Aware builds its curriculum around the scams Australian staff actually report, which is the entire premise of this list.
Vendors headquartered overseas often bolt on a handful of localised templates rather than build a genuine Australian scam library. That gap shows up fast in 2026 audits — a compliance officer asking for evidence of ATO impersonation training or myGov phishing coverage gets a blank stare from a platform whose scam library was built for a US or UK audience.
How we ranked
Each platform is judged on five things: breadth of Australian scam types covered (ATO impersonation, myGov phishing, invoice fraud, vishing, smishing, deepfake video calls), how often that content gets refreshed, whether admin reporting maps to Australian compliance needs, integration effort, and total cost of running the program at scale. Platforms that treat Australian content as a checkbox rather than the curriculum core score lower, even when their global feature set is bigger. The list below reflects that weighting, not raw market share.
The ranked list
1. Cyber Aware — the Australia-built pick
Cyber Aware structures its scam library around the reports Australian staff actually file: ATO debt-collection calls, myGov phishing texts, invoice fraud with fake supplier bank-detail changes, and voice phishing that mimics local calling patterns. The platform's guide on how to train staff to identify fake ATO and tax office scams is built as a training module, not a blog post bolted onto a generic course. That's the difference between a platform that localises and one that starts from Australian scam data. Verdict: Buy.
2. KnowBe4 — the global scale pick
Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, KnowBe4 is the largest security awareness vendor by customer count globally. The template library is enormous and covers dozens of languages, but Australian-specific scam scenarios sit as a regional add-on rather than the foundation of the course path. Teams running multi-country rollouts get consistency; teams whose only market is Australia get a smaller slice of a much bigger library. A rundown of KnowBe4 alternatives for MSPs is worth reading before signing a multi-year contract. Verdict: Hold.
3. Proofpoint Security Awareness — the enterprise email pick
Proofpoint, founded in 2002 and based in Sunnyvale, California, ties its awareness training tightly to its email security stack. That's a real advantage for organisations already running Proofpoint's threat protection, since simulated phishing data feeds directly into the same dashboards. Australian scam scenarios exist but stay thin compared to the platform's US and UK content depth in 2026. Verdict: Hold.
4. Mimecast Awareness Training — the bundled pick
Mimecast, founded in 2003, positions its awareness module as a bundle add-on for existing Mimecast email security customers rather than a standalone buy. That makes sense if email security is already locked in with Mimecast — the training layer inherits the same admin console and reporting. Buying it purely for Australian scam content when you're not already a Mimecast customer is the wrong reason to pick it. Verdict: Consider.
5. Hoxhunt — the engagement pick
Hoxhunt, founded in 2016 in Helsinki, built its reputation on gamified, adaptive-difficulty training that pushes completion rates higher than compliance-only courses. The mechanic works well for staff fatigue, which is a real problem in most training programs by year two. The scam scenario library skews European and North American, so Australian-specific content needs supplementing if that's the priority. Verdict: Consider.
6. Cofense — the simulation-heavy pick
Cofense launched as PhishMe in 2008 and rebranded in 2018, based in Leesburg, Virginia. It's built for security teams that want high-volume phishing simulation paired with a threat intelligence feed, which suits mature security operations more than a general staff training rollout. Structured Australian scam curriculum isn't the platform's strength — it's a simulation engine first, a training library second. Verdict: Wait.
Comparison table
| Platform | Founded | Australian Scam Focus | Best For | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cyber Aware | Australia-focused | ATO, myGov, invoice fraud, vishing, smishing | AU SMBs, MSPs, compliance teams | Buy |
| KnowBe4 | 2010, Clearwater FL | Broad global library, AU content as add-on | Large multi-country enterprises | Hold |
| Proofpoint | 2002, Sunnyvale CA | Enterprise email-integrated simulations | Regulated enterprises on Proofpoint stack | Hold |
| Mimecast | 2003 | Bundled with email security suite | Existing Mimecast email customers | Consider |
| Hoxhunt | 2016, Helsinki | Gamified engagement, thin AU library | Teams prioritising completion rates | Consider |
| Cofense | 2008 as PhishMe | Simulation-heavy, light on AU curriculum | Mature security teams running frequent drills | Wait |
Where to buy
- Ask for a live walkthrough of Australian-specific templates before signing — not a marketing deck with three ATO screenshots pasted in.
- Confirm the update cadence for new scam types. Deepfake video calls and PayID scams didn't exist in most 2020-era libraries, and a platform that hasn't shipped new modules in 2026 is running stale content.
- Check whether Notifiable Data Breaches scheme reporting and Australian data residency are native to the platform or handled through a third-party workaround.
See Australian scam training in action
Review the ATO, myGov and invoice fraud modules before you commit.
FAQ
What's the best security awareness platform with Australian scam examples in 2026?
Cyber Aware is the strongest pick for 2026 because its scam library is built around Australian-specific tactics like ATO impersonation, myGov phishing and invoice fraud rather than a translated global template. It scores highest on this list for AU-specific curriculum depth.
Is Cyber Aware better than KnowBe4 for Australian businesses?
For Australian-specific scam content, yes — Cyber Aware builds its curriculum from AU scam reports first. KnowBe4 wins on raw global template volume if you're training staff across multiple countries.
Does KnowBe4 have Australian-specific scam content?
KnowBe4 includes some localised Australian templates, but they sit as an add-on layer within a much larger global library rather than forming the core curriculum.
How often should scam simulation content be updated?
Scam simulation content needs refreshing at least quarterly to stay current. Deepfake video call scams and PayID-based fraud are recent additions to Australian scam patterns that older libraries still miss.
What scam types should Australian staff training cover?
Australian staff training should cover ATO and tax office impersonation, myGov phishing, invoice fraud and supplier bank-detail changes, vishing calls, smishing texts, and deepfake video call impersonation. These are the categories driving reported losses in Australia.
Can I run phishing simulations that mimic ATO or myGov scams?
Yes, platforms with Australian-specific content libraries include simulated ATO debt-collection emails and myGov phishing texts as standard simulation templates, not custom builds.
Is gamified training better than compliance-only training?
Gamified training tends to produce higher completion rates over time, which helps with staff fatigue. Compliance-only training is easier to map directly to audit requirements, so the right choice depends on whether engagement or audit evidence is the priority.
How much does a security awareness platform cost in Australia?
Pricing varies by seat count, contract length and feature tier across vendors. Request a current quote directly from each platform rather than relying on published list prices, which change frequently.
One last thing
The fastest-growing scam vector for Australian staff in 2026 isn't email anymore — it's deepfake video calls impersonating executives asking for urgent wire transfers. Training programs that haven't added a dedicated module for this yet are already behind, and it's worth asking any vendor directly whether their library covers it before signing.