Training Canadian healthcare organization apologizes for insensitive phishing test June 22, 2026 Share By SC Staff Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services has apologized after its IT department conducted a phishing test that falsely offered employees an additional paid day off. The test, which targeted employees and physicians, was deemed inappropriate given the current pressures faced by healthcare staff, as reported by The Register. The phishing test email, sent during a period of intense work for healthcare professionals implementing the new CorCare software system, contained a button to claim an extra paid vacation day. Clicking the button resulted in a "fail" mark, leading to significant backlash. The Registered Nurses Union criticized the test as particularly insensitive, noting that nurses and other healthcare workers are already struggling to secure paid time off due to burnout and staffing shortages. Union president Yvette Coffey stated that while cybersecurity education is important, it must be conducted with respect and judgment, avoiding exploitation of healthcare workers' stress. NL Health Services interim CEO Ron Johnson acknowledged the exercise "missed a mark" and promised a review of future awareness exercises to ensure they align with organizational values and employee perspectives. Cybersecurity is critical in healthcare, where attacks can lead to canceled procedures and service disruptions, but the effectiveness of such "fire-drill" style phishing tests in improving security remains debated. Source: The Register SC Staff Related Training Conan O’Brien stars in new cybersecurity training series SC Staff June 15, 2026 The 15-part video series, created in collaboration with Team Coco, addresses AI-driven threats such as phishing, impersonation, voice cloning, and deepfakes. Phishing Herd Security raises $3 million for AI-powered security training SC Staff May 8, 2026 Founded in 2025, Herd Security provides an agentic AI platform designed for continuous security awareness training. Security Operations ISC2 integrates AI security into cybersecurity certifications SC Staff April 3, 2026 The new Exam Guidance for Artificial Intelligence maps AI concepts across more than 50 core cybersecurity exam domains. Get daily email updates SC Media's daily must-read of the most current and pressing daily news Business Email By clicking the Subscribe button below, you agree to SC Media Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . Subscribe You can skip this ad in 5 seconds