Defending Against Cyber Threats Targeting Help Desks

This document is a report detailing the increasing cyber risks faced by help desks in organizations. It outlines how attackers are bypassing traditional cybersecurity measures by impersonating employees, particularly targeting service desk agents who have the ability to reset credentials and manage access. The report highlights the findings from Verizon's 2025 Data Breach Investigation Report, indicating that a significant percentage of data breaches involve human interaction, often through credential abuse and social engineering tactics such as phishing. It emphasizes the need for organizations to adopt a human-centric security strategy that includes specialized training for help desk staff, improved identity verification processes, and advanced monitoring tools to better understand user behavior. The report also discusses the importance of educating the workforce about the risks associated with impersonation and the need for heightened cybersecurity awareness. Overall, it presents a comprehensive view of the evolving threat landscape and the necessary steps organizations should take to protect their sensitive information from cyber threats.