Best for survey-based culture measurement: KnowBe4. Best for risk-profiling culture at enterprise scale: Terranova Security. Best for behavior-based culture measurement: Cyber Aware.
That is the 2026 verdict on security awareness platforms with culture surveys — tools that measure what staff believe and feel about security, not just which modules they completed. Training completion rates tell you who sat through a course; culture data tells you whether they would report a phishing email, challenge an unusual request or care about their password. KnowBe4's own guidance states that security culture is one of the strongest predictors of secure behavior — which is why the leading platforms measure it.
What makes the best culture measurement tool
- Structured survey instrument — dimensions and indicators defined in advance, not an ad-hoc poll.
- Individual and aggregate scores — a per-user view and an organisation-level trend, both exportable.
- Repeatable cadence — the same survey run periodically so improvement is measurable.
- Behavioral corroboration — scores that connect to what staff actually do in simulations and training.
- Actionable output — findings that name where to focus next, not just a number.
Security awareness platforms with culture surveys at a glance
| Rank | Platform | Culture measurement | Key limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KnowBe4 | Security Culture Survey across seven dimensions plus a 40-indicator maturity assessment | Survey depth sits inside the paid console tiers |
| 2 | Terranova Security | Cyber Hero Score and Security Awareness Index risk-profiling | Risk-profiling instruments, not a classic sentiment survey |
| 3 | Cyber Aware | Behavior-based Human Risk Score built from training and phishing actions | Measures behavior, not stated sentiment — no survey instrument |
1. KnowBe4: best for survey-based culture measurement
KnowBe4's Security Culture Survey (SCS) measures the sentiments of your users towards security — the psychological and social aspects that drive social behavior — across seven named dimensions of security culture, producing individual and aggregated culture scores with recommended takeaways based on your score. Alongside it, the Program Maturity Assessment (announced 2026) scores an organisation across 40 Culture Maturity Indicators (CMIs), examining leadership, employee behavior and business process integration, and delivers a roadmap based on maturity level. Market context: KnowBe4 was named #1 in G2's Winter 2026 Grid Report for Security Awareness Training.
KnowBe4 pros:
- The category's most developed survey instrument: seven dimensions, individual and aggregate scores.
- Program Maturity Assessment adds a quantifiable 40-indicator maturity layer.
- Largest benchmark dataset to compare your scores against — 70,000+ organisations.
KnowBe4 cons:
- Survey and assessment tools are console features priced within higher tiers.
- Console and reporting complexity rewards a dedicated programme owner.
Pricing: from $2.40/user/month published on 3-year list terms; assessment tooling availability varies by tier. Best for: enterprises with a programme owner who want statistically structured culture scores and benchmarking.
2. Terranova Security: best for risk-profiling culture at enterprise scale
Terranova, a Fortra company, profiles user risk through the Cyber Hero Score and the Security Awareness Index (SAI) — built from role, access, knowledge and behavioral metrics rather than a single sentiment poll. It suits organisations that prioritise policy-driven, compliance-oriented awareness programs over adaptive behavior-based risk management, and its content reaches 40+ languages.
Terranova pros:
- Two named instruments (Cyber Hero Score, SAI) profiling risk from multiple inputs.
- Strong fit for policy and compliance-driven programmes.
- Fortra-backed enterprise support and 40+ language delivery.
Terranova cons:
- These are risk-profiling tools, not framework-mapped gap assessments.
- Pricing is custom quote-based with no published rate.
Pricing: custom quote. Best for: enterprises and regulators-first buyers that want risk scores tied to role and access data.
3. Cyber Aware: best for behavior-based culture measurement
Cyber Aware measures culture through what staff do rather than what they say on a form: the Human Risk Score is built monthly from real training and phishing behavior — overdue courses, failed attempts, slow completions and simulation failures — producing one number per learner, per month, with the same math on every tenant. Learners see their own score in a personal dashboard without seeing anyone else's, gamified leaderboards make progress visible, and admins export branded PDFs for every client or audit. It is not a survey instrument — that is the point of this slot: behavior data catches what sentiment surveys miss.
Cyber Aware pros:
- A transparent, behavior-based score: no black box, resets monthly, 7-day grace on due dates.
- Learner dashboards make the score personal rather than an IT spreadsheet.
- Breach monitoring (Have I Been Pwned) runs alongside as context.
Cyber Aware cons:
- No survey instrument for stated sentiment — pair it with one if you need that layer.
- Score value depends on maintaining training and simulation cadence.
Pricing: per seat with no minimums, quoted on request — see human risk reporting. Best for: MSPs and SMBs who want culture progress provable from behavior data at every QBR.
How we ranked
Survey depth, score structure and repeatability decided the order, with behavioral corroboration weighted heavily: a culture number that never touches observed behavior is harder to trust. Claims come from KnowBe4's own assessment documentation and press releases, Terranova's product materials, and Cyber Aware's platform documentation as verified in the platform comparison of July 2026.
Which platform should you choose?
Enterprises with a security programme owner should run KnowBe4's Security Culture Survey and repeat it on a fixed cadence. Regulated enterprises that score risk by role should weigh Terranova. MSPs and SMBs who need culture progress evidenced from what staff actually did — training, quizzes, simulation clicks — get it from Cyber Aware's behavior-based score.
FAQ
What is a security culture survey? A structured questionnaire measuring employees' sentiments and attitudes towards security — KnowBe4's SCS covers seven dimensions and produces individual and aggregate culture scores.
What are the seven dimensions of security culture? KnowBe4's Security Culture Survey measures seven psychological and social dimensions of security behavior; the specific list is published in KnowBe4's Security Culture materials.
Can security culture actually be measured? Yes — through structured surveys (KnowBe4 SCS, 40-indicator maturity assessment), multi-input risk scores (Terranova's SAI) and behavior data (Cyber Aware's Human Risk Score). Each measures a different layer.
Do culture surveys improve security behavior? KnowBe4's guidance states security culture is one of the strongest predictors of secure behavior — measuring it identifies where to focus, but the improvement comes from acting on the findings.
One last thing
Pair sentiment with behavior. A workforce can score well on a culture survey and still click the invoice fraud simulation — the organisations that improve fastest in 2026 run both a survey layer and a behavior score, and read them side by side.
Related guides
Sources
- KnowBe4 — Assessments (Security Culture Survey) — seven dimensions, individual and aggregate scores
- KnowBe4 — Program Maturity Assessment announcement — 40 Culture Maturity Indicators, 2026
- KnowBe4 — Security Culture — culture as predictor of secure behavior
- Cyber Aware — Compare platforms for MSPs — Terranova SAI/Cyber Hero Score and platform claims, verified July 2026