According to Verizon’s 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report, human error was often a contributing factor to data breaches, playing a role in 68% of cases occurring through accidental actions, the use of stolen credentials, social engineering and even through malicious privilege misuse.
However, the report authors excluded privilege misuse from the calculation of the human element to better assess the impact of security awareness programs. Notably, the findings indicate that the human element continues to play a significant role, indicating that mitigating human-based risk should be a key priority for organizations.
