Blame it on pandemic fatigue, remote work or just too much information, but employees appear to be lowering their guard when it comes to detecting social engineering tricks. Attackers were more successful with their social engineering schemes last year than they were a year earlier, according to Proofpoint. More than 80% of organizations suffered a successful email-based phishing attack in 2021, according to a survey of 3,500 professionals. That’s a 46% jump from 2020.
“So many people, especially today with all the distractions and noise of the world, are on autopilot – just going through the motions,” says Kevin Beaver, principal consultant at security firm Principle Logic. “Their subconscious mind has taken over making what are often critical decisions. The bad guys know they have the upper hand.”