Archiving Targets in PhishingBox

This guide explains how archiving targets works in PhishingBox, what it does (and does not do), and the different ways targets can be archived.

Table of Contents

• What Does Archiving a Target Do?
• What Archiving Does Not Do
• Ways to Archive Targets
• Archiving a Target at the Individual Level
• Archiving a Target at the Group Level
• Key Differences: Individual vs Group Archiving

What Does Archiving a Target Do?

Archiving a target works the same as deactivating a target previously did. We've updated the terminology to improve clarity.

When a target is archived:

• The target will no longer receive phishing simulation emails
• The target is not deleted from the platform
• All historical testing data is preserved, including past campaign results and reports
• The target can be reactivated later if needed

What Archiving Does Not Do

Archiving a target:

• Does not delete the target
• Does not delete campaign results or reports
• Does not impact historical metrics or data from previous tests.

Ways to Archive Targets

Targets can be archived in two different ways, depending on your needs:

1. Individual-level archiving (deactivates the target from all groups)
2. Group-level archiving (deactivates the target from a specific group only)

Archiving a Target at the Individual Level

Use this option when:

• The user has left the organization
• The user should no longer receive any phishing simulations
• The user should be fully deactivated across all groups

What Happens

When you archive a target at the individual level:

• The target is deactivated from all groups
• The target will not be included in any future campaigns
• The target is removed from active/scheduled campaigns that they are a part of. (For this to happen, the target must be archived before their phishing simulation email is sent.)
• If the target has an associated Student, that Student is also deactivated

How to Archive an Individual Target

1. Navigate to Targets / Groups → Manage Targets
2. Locate the target you want to archive
3. Click the Actions dropdown on the far right
4. Select Archive (Hide/Remove)

Note: Multiple targets can be archived simultaneously by using the checkboxes on the left-hand side of the table.

Archiving a Target at the Group Level

Use this option when:

• The target should be removed from one specific group only
• The target should remain active in other groups

What Happens

When you archive a target at the group level:

• The target is removed only from the selected group
• The target remains active in any other groups they belong to
• The target will still be active in campaigns for other groups they are a part of
• All historical testing data is preserved

How to Archive a Target from a Group

1. Navigate to Targets / Groups → Manage Groups
2. Filter or select the specific group
3. Locate the target within that group
4. Click the Actions dropdown
5. Select Archive (Hide/Remove)

Note: Multiple targets can be archived simultaneously by using the checkboxes on the left-hand side of the table.

Key Differences: Individual vs Group Archiving