Security Awareness Hub
Frequently Asked Questions
The Security Awareness Hub initiative was launched by CDSE to provide frequently-assigned courses, including mandatory annual training, to a broader audience of security practitioners and non-security personnel. You do not need a STEPP account or any other registration or sign-in information to take a Security Awareness Hub course.
Upon completing each course, you will be provided a Certificate of Completion. Insert your name to generate your certificate, and then print or save your certificate before closing the course. Neither a record of your completion nor your Certificate of Completion will be saved in the Security Awareness Hub.
The courses on STEPP and Security Awareness Hub are the same, however there are some notable differences between the two.
| Does it... | Security Awareness Hub | STEPP |
|---|---|---|
| Require login? | No | Yes |
| Account for prerequisites? | No | Yes |
| Save course states? | No | Yes |
| Save certificates? | No | Yes |
| Allow for downloadable certificates? | Yes | Yes |
| Have certificate verification codes? | No | Yes |
Before you start a course, you should weigh your options and decide which platform is best for you to complete the course.
You may utilize any method below to assist with STEPP related issues:
- Review STEPP's FAQ page.
- Call the Help Desk at 202-753-0845 within the Washington, DC area or toll free at 833-200-0035 (Weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time).
- Submit an online support request ticket.
If requested, the Center for Development of Security Excellence will provide reasonable accommodation in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Rehabilitation Act, and DoD policy.
In general, an accommodation is made when a disability is relieved by an auxiliary aid or a procedural change. Reasonable accommodations will be made for known physical or mental limitations if you are an individual with a disability.
If you have a need for a reasonable accommodation, please email dcsa.cdseweb@mail.mil requesting an adjustment or change for a reason related to a disability. A request does not have to use any special words, such as "reasonable accommodation," "disability," or "Rehabilitation Act." If you have a disability, you may request a reasonable accommodation whenever you choose, even if you have not previously disclosed the existence of a disability.
With the course or quiz open, press F11 to display in full screen. Another option is to press and hold the control (ctrl) key while clicking the minus (-) key until the navigation buttons are visible at the bottom. This will work on all browsers. To return to the previous zoom level, press and hold ctrl while clicking the plus (+) key.
Try viewing the course in Edge or Chrome. If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer and control your own browser settings, enable font downloads. Here's how: In Internet Explorer, click the gear icon or the Tools menu, then choose Internet options. When the Internet Options window appears, select the Security tab, choose the Internet zone, and click Custom level. When the Security Settings window appears, scroll to the Downloads section and enable the Font download setting. Click OK twice to save your settings, then close and reopen Internet Explorer.
If the course does not automatically transition to the next section or to the assessment, ensure that you've viewed all of the material on the page.
If you have checked all of the course material and the assessment is not opening, go through the last section and allow the material to play to completion.
If these do not work, check your popup blocker settings and ensure Security Awareness Hub is allowed to display popups. There may be a browser notification that has the option to open the popup if it has already blocked it.
Ensure you are viewing the most up-to-date course version by accessing the quiz through the end of the course and not through a direct link.
Try viewing the course in Edge or Chrome. If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer:
- Under Internet Options » Security tab » Trusted sites and add “https://securityawareness.usalearning.gov/”.
- Under Internet options tab » Advanced view » Make sure the “Closed unused folders in History and Favorites” is checked as well as “Empty Temporary Internet Files folder when browser is closed.”
You may need to reboot the machine to enable the setting changes.
If you are using Edge, Chrome, or Firefox, you may want to clear your browser cache (specifically cached images and files) then restart the course.
If the course has a certificate, you will be given the opportunity to download the certificate at the end of the course before the survey. You must download it before you close the course. The certificate cannot be sent to you even with proof of completion.
The verification code is automatically printed on the certificate when you complete the course through STEPP. Courses completed through Security Awareness Hub will not receive a verification code.
MDA and MHS users
Other users
There is a known issue between MDA and MHS networks and the survey. The LMS administrators are aware of the issue. Until the problem is resolved, please be sure to save your certificate in case it is needed for verification later. To have the course marked as completed within the LMS, please email the LMS Help Desk for assistance.
Please email dcsa.cdseweb@mail.mil with a summary of the issue, a screenshot (if applicable), and the course name.
Note: The survey is optional. If you have downloaded your certificate, you have successfully completed the course. If you still wish to submit feedback, email your feedback to dcsa.cdseweb@mail.mil and it will be forwarded to the appropriate team.
You may continue through the survey with the agency you've selected. The survey is optional and the agency has no effect on your certificate or completion.
STEPP is the only place that course completion is tracked. If you are utilizing another platform other than STEPP to view your course completions, please refer to the help desk of that platform. We are unable to assist in issues with other platforms that utilize our courses.
If you experience other issues with a Security Awareness Hub course (e.g., launching a course or technical difficulties beyond what is mentioned above), please contact the help desk. Please include the course and a short summary of the issue you're experiencing. Any screenshots you could provide would also assist in troubleshooting your issue.