U.K. Management Almost Twice as Likely to Fall for Phishing Attacks Versus Entry-Level Employees

Highlights from a new survey focused on employee compliance reveals just how targeted and susceptible U.K. businesses are to phishing attempts.

A new survey from compliance training company, Skillcast, brings phishing attacks in the U.K. front and center, shedding light on where organizations need to place their cybersecurity focus.

According to the survey, almost half (44%) of UK employees have experienced a work-related phishing attempt in the past year. And of those interacting with a phishing attack, the survey results point to management as being more susceptible:

“Entry-level employees reported a 5% cooperation rate (interacting) with phishing attempts, whereas senior staff – including directors and heads of departments – reported a 9% cooperation rate. This suggests that senior-level employees are nearly twice as likely to fall for phishing attempts compared to their entry-level colleagues.”

The survey also emphasizes the frequency of phishing mediums used:

• Email (69%) of workplace phishing attempts occurring through this channel
• Text messages (12%)
• Phone calls (10%)

So, the problem is management may be thinking they know how to spot a phishing scam, when the data says otherwise. It’s why here at KnowBe4, we firmly believe that every employee – regardless of position – be enrolled in continual new-school security awareness training.