KnowBe4 has released its AI-Driven Scams and Fraudulent CVs: The Increased Risk to HR Operations in the UK report.

The survey report delves into the specific cybersecurity challenges of 1,001 Human Resources (HR) professionals based in the UK. The research evaluated Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven fraud, gaps in cybersecurity awareness and the level of collaboration between HR and IT departments.

The survey findings, which were gathered by Censuswide on behalf of KnowBe4, revealed that 44% of HR professionals have come across job applications that turned out to be scams or fraudulent.

Worryingly, two in five (40%) of HR professionals have admitted to progressing a job application before realising it was fraudulent. Considering that 35% of those who were targeted by bogus applications stated these included malicious links or attachments, it could pose a direct cybersecurity threat to their business.

“It is not unheard of for threat actors to embed malware, spyware or other harmful software into a fake resume when applying for a job application,” said Javvad Malik, lead security awareness advocate at KnowBe4. “If clicked by an unsuspecting member of the HR department, it can lead to phishing sites or initiate the download of harmful malware which can cripple the targeted organisation, steal sensitive information or exploit it financially.”

Other key stats from the report include:

HR-related Cyber Attacks:

• Over half (57%) of companies have experienced a cyberattack in the last 12 months due to employees falling for phishing emails.
• Alarmingly, 4 out of 5 (82%) of HR professionals have experienced a cybersecurity incident in the past year, yet 40% say they lack a formal incident response plan to deal with a cyber threat.
• Almost half (48%) have interacted with LinkedIn profiles that were later found to be fake.

Use of AI – For Good & Bad

• Over a third (37%) of HR teams are leveraging AI tools to screen job applications, while 29% use AI to draft job specifications.
• There is increasing interest in adopting AI-driven solutions, with 37% of HR professionals advocating for AI-based tools to detect fraudulent applications.

Cybersecurity Awareness & Collaboration:

• A concerning 41% of HR professionals believe their employees are negligent regarding cybersecurity policies.
• There is a strong call for enhanced collaboration, with 52% of HR professionals desiring closer partnerships with IT and security teams.
• Over two-fifths (44%) want more dedicated training for HR and recruitment teams to better identify security risks.

“Understandably, the use of AI by the HR department has revolutionised how organisations attract, hire, manage and retain talent in a bid to improve efficiency and HR processes,” said Javvad Malik, lead security awareness advocate at KnowBe4. “However, the report showcases how this integral department is being targeted by scammers and the risks associated with fraudulent job applications which can lead to detrimental consequences.

“As a company, we issued a warning about this threat this year after we accidentally hired a fake North Korean employee,” continued Malik. “This demonstrated how every organisation is susceptible. Ultimately, we want to see improved security awareness and advocate for all organisations to update the existing hiring processes to include more security processes to reduce the risk of falling victim.

“Hopefully, then we can see the exploitable gap diminish, making cybersecurity incidents fewer and further between.”

To view the full findings, please click here.

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