Why 68% of Data Breaches Start with Your Employees
The human element remains the biggest security vulnerability. Discover why and what you can do about it.
According to Verizon's 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report, 68% of all data breaches involve the human element. Despite billions spent on firewalls, encryption, and security tools, your employees remain your biggest vulnerability—and your greatest asset in the fight against cybercrime.
68%
Breaches Involve Humans
16%
From Phishing Alone
$4.8M
Avg. Phishing Cost
The Human Attack Surface
The "human element" in breaches encompasses several attack vectors:
Phishing Attacks (16%)
Deceptive emails trick employees into revealing credentials or clicking malicious links.
Credential Reuse
Employees using breached passwords from other sites on work accounts.
Social Engineering
Manipulation tactics that exploit human psychology to bypass security.
Human Error
Misconfigurations, accidental data exposure, and security lapses.
Real-World Example: DoorDash Breach
In 2025, DoorDash confirmed a data breach after an employee fell victim to a social engineering scam. The attacker gained access to internal systems containing customer names, phone numbers, physical addresses, and email details. One compromised employee led to millions of exposed records.
Initial Contact
Attacker poses as IT support
Employee trusts the caller
Credential Theft
Employee provides login credentials
Attacker gains system access
Data Exfiltration
Customer data accessed and stolen
Millions of records exposed
Discovery
Breach detected weeks later
Damage already done
Building Human-Centered Security
Implement regular security awareness training
Monitor employee credentials against breach databases
Deploy phishing simulations to test and educate
Enforce multi-factor authentication company-wide
Create a culture where reporting suspicious activity is encouraged
The Cost of Ignoring Human Risk
Organizations with high cybersecurity skill shortages paid $5.74 million per breach, compared to $3.98 million for those with proper training programs. Investing in your people pays dividends.
Conclusion
Your employees are both your greatest vulnerability and your strongest defense. By understanding the human element in breaches and implementing proper training, monitoring, and security controls, you can transform your workforce from a liability into a security asset.
Remember
Security is a team sport. Every employee, from the CEO to the newest hire, plays a role in protecting your organization from data breaches.
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