According to a recent report from Arctic Wolf, nearly two-thirds of IT and security employees have fallen for a phishing email.

The Arctic Wolf 2024 Human Risk Behavior Report highlights some concerning trends in the behavior of IT and security professionals worldwide. Key findings show that human error still plays an important role in organizational security. This is despite the increasing complexity of cyber threats and the availability of AI tools for attackers. Some notable numbers are:

• Phishing attacks: Nearly two-thirds (64%) of IT and security employees have fallen victim to a phishing attack, even though 80% believe their organization can withstand it.
• Reuse password: 68 percent of IT managers worldwide reuse passwords, and in the Benelux the figure is even 80 percent.
• Disable security measures: 36 percent of IT managers worldwide have deactivated security measures on their systems, and in the Benelux the figure is even more than 53 percent.
• AI policy: Although 60 percent of IT leaders say their organization has an AI policy, less than a third of end users are aware of it.

Proactive training

The report emphasizes that technology alone is not enough to combat cyber threats. Particular attention should also be paid to reducing human risks within organizations. This requires proactive strategies that go beyond traditional security awareness training. These are often considered ineffective due to their annual, compliance-focused approach.

Arctic Wolf urges organizations to implement a more comprehensive human risk management plan. The focus is on improving employee awareness and proactivity in detecting and defending against cyber threats.