KnowBe4, provider of the most popular platform for security awareness training and simulated phishing attacks, continues its mission to reduce the amount of human error plaguing the IT security industry. The company today announced record results for its Q1 2017, increasing overall year-over-year (YoY) sales growth of 261 percent. This marks the 16^th-straight quarter of growth, driven by a continually increasing demand for its new-school approach to security awareness training because of its effective approach. This quarter-over-quarter growth fuels company expansion as it continues to develop unique and effective ways to turn employees into a “‘human firewall” that can recognize and avoid cyber threats, therefore reducing corporate risk.

Steve Morgan, founder and editor-in-chief at Cybersecurity Ventures, estimates security awareness training will become a multibillion-dollar industry in 2017. Additionally, he further projects that by 2021 Fortune 500 and Global 2000 corporations will consider security awareness training as “fundamental” to their cyber-defense strategies, with small businesses following shortly thereafter.

“Bad guys are always trying to find new ways to hack humans, and KnowBe4 is committed to helping our clients stop them,” said KnowBe4 CEO Stu Sjouwerman. “CISOs and IT managers understand the threat that phishing attacks, ransomware and other forms of social engineering pose and recognize the contribution we can make to helping them reduce human error and improve their overall security posture. By providing engaging on-demand security awareness training and deploying simulated phishing attacks to their employee base, our clients can reduce their corporate risk and get on with doing business.”

Perry Carpenter, former Research Director, Security & Risk Management and respected security awareness and behavior management expert at Gartner, joined KnowBe4 in March as Chief Evangelist and Strategy Officer. Carpenter brings a unique point of view to help KnowBe4 and its customers achieve an even higher degree of success and effectiveness. “My time at Gartner gave me a solid understanding of the challenges that many customers face, opportunities innovative partnerships bring, and how to empower security leaders to make their employees an effective last line of defense. Now at KnowBe4 I’m focused on ensuring we are helping to set up CISOs and IT managers for success and working to move KnowBe4 forward as the premier solution for companies seeking to build a security-aware workforce.”

KnowBe4 started 2017 extremely strong. Recent notable company milestones include:

• Highest sales ever recorded in Q1, increasing overall sales by 261 percent YoY with more than 9,500 customers on board
• Strategic partnership with The Security Awareness Company, providing what IT analysts call “one of the largest and most diverse security awareness content and resource libraries” available to KnowBe4 customers
• Accelerated Enterprise sales growth, doubling it in the last 30 days
• Expansion of partner program by 133 percent, more than doubling partners
• Actively involved in the Anti-Phishing Working Group
• Actively involved in the Tampa Bay Technology Forum

Recent industry accolades and awards include:

• #3 of Top Company Cultures (large-company category) from Entrepreneur
• #38 of Hot 500 Cybersecurity Companies to Watch in 2017 from Cybersecurity Ventures
• Gold Winner, Security Training and Educational Programs from Info Security Products Guide
• Silver Winner, Fastest Growing Security Company of the Year from Info Security Products Guide