Kaspersky study identifies human factor as primary cyberattack driver

A Kaspersky study involving 1,800 cybersecurity specialists and decision-makers across 18 countries reveals that 80% of organizations identify the human factor as the primary trigger for successful cyberattacks.

The research highlights three major risks that contribute equally to this vulnerability:

1. High workloads for IT and security teams: Cited by 24% of respondents globally, this issue is more pronounced in France, where 30% of organizations report it as a major risk factor. This pressure is particularly high in mid-sized and large enterprises.

2. Lack of expertise and experience: 24% of respondents noted a deficit in IT professional skills, a concern particularly high in Mexico (30%), Colombia (29%), Turkey (28%), Germany (27%), and France (26%).

3. Insufficient employee awareness: A lack of security training makes staff susceptible to social engineering and phishing attempts.

Despite advancements in automation and detection tools, these human-centric weaknesses allow attackers to exploit configuration errors or use social engineering to bypass technical defenses.