Your team is sharp. They’ve got the experience, the knowledge, the instincts. You trust them to steer clear of phishing scams and suspicious links.
But here’s the hard truth: confidence without vigilance is exactly what cybercriminals are counting on.
The Overconfidence Trap
New research shows 86% of employees believe they can spot phishing emails. Yet, more than half of them have already fallen victim to scams.
Why? Because phishing isn’t what it used to be. Today’s attacks wear convincing disguises:
- Fake invoices that look just like your vendors’
- Emails mimicking your bank
- Messages appearing to be from your colleagues
It’s no longer a matter of spotting the “obvious scam.” Cybercriminals are evolving, and when your people think they’re too smart to be fooled, they drop their guard.
That’s when the real damage happens.
The Dunning-Kruger Effect: False Security is Real Danger
Psychologists call it the Dunning-Kruger effect: the more someone thinks they know, the more blind spots they have. In cybersecurity, this overconfidence is a silent killer.
When employees assume they’re immune, they skip the double-checks. They click before they think. They don’t report “suspicious” emails because they don’t even recognize the threat.
And just like that, your business systems are compromised.
Turning Confidence into Caution
But this is where leadership steps up.
You can’t afford to rely on assumptions. To truly protect your business, you need a proactive defense:
- Ongoing phishing awareness training to stay ahead of evolving scams.
- A culture of openness, where reporting suspicious activity is encouraged and never criticized.
- Reinforcing vigilance over bravado in every aspect of your cybersecurity policies.
Remember: cybersecurity isn’t about being the smartest person in the room. It’s about being the most cautious.
The moment someone thinks, “I’d never fall for that,” is often the exact moment they do.
Be the shield. Lead with vigilance. Protect what matters.
.svg){kind=small}
