WatchGuard Report Finds 55% of Employees Do Not Consistently Verify Sensitive Requests

• WatchGuard Technologies' Cyber Trust Index found 55% of employees do not consistently verify sensitive requests before acting, highlighting exposure to AI-driven impersonation.
• Digital communications inspire greater trust among 46% of employees than five years ago, despite increasingly convincing impersonation attempts.
• Familiarity influenced 72% of employees to click links or open files because they appeared to come from someone they knew.
• Managers and senior leaders command trust from 76% of employees making important workplace decisions, underscoring vulnerability to executive impersonation.
• The report recommends routine verification of consequential requests, regardless of the apparent sender, to reduce exposure to AI-powered social engineering.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. WatchGuard Technologies Inc. published the original content used to generate this news brief on November 09, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.