72 percent of executives targeted by cyberattacks

Senior executives are prime targets for cybercriminals, with 72 percent of surveyed cybersecurity professionals in the US reporting that this group has been targeted by attacks in the past 18 months.

The study from GetApp also highlights the rising use of AI-generated deepfakes, which have been involved in 27 percent of the attacks.

But despite this over a third (37 perecent) of companies globally do not provide specialized cybersecurity training to their senior executives, leaving a critical gap in their defenses.

"Companies' senior executives hold crucial business data, keeping them in the crosshairs of cybercriminals," says David Jani, senior security analyst at GetApp. "There's a pressing need for businesses to prioritize specialized cybersecurity training for their leadership teams."

The report shows frequency of attacks is also escalating. 69 percent of US companies that have previously had attacks report an increase in attacks over the past three years -- above the global average of 58 percent. This uptick coincides with the rise in complexity of attacks. Notably, incidents involving AI-assisted deepfakes and phishing schemes have surged, with senior executives as primary targets.

In addition 54 percent of US companies have experienced at least one identity fraud incident affecting a senior executive over the last 18 months, which is 13 points higher than the global average of 41 percent. Compared to the global average, US senior executives witness significantly higher risks for fraudulent financial transactions as well.

In response to these threats, businesses are encouraged to implement comprehensive cybersecurity strategies that include ongoing training, use of advanced security tools like multi-factor authentication (MFA) and data encryption.

The full report is available from the GetApp site.

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