COVID-19 spurred cyber criminals to new heights in 2020. Ransomware attacks increased by 109 percent in the U.S., and phishing attacks increased by 600 percent in Q1 alone.

With vaccinations on the rise, and life slowly returning to normal, COVID-themed attacks are losing traction— but social engineering will continue to be a mainstay for hackers.

Employees are notorious for being the weak link in an organization’s cybersecurity posture. Social engineers will do or say anything to exploit human interest and emotion— and persuade users to give up sensitive data, such as personally identifiable information (PII) and, even, network credentials.

Thwarting social attacks starts with cybersecurity awareness. From phishing simulations to gamification and interactive training, these best practices will make staying one step ahead of bad actors easy and fun.

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