May 12, 2024 In the latest 2024 Verizon Data Breach Report (DBIR), it has been revealed that employee errors remain the predominant cause of data breaches, responsible for 49% of incidents in the EMEA region. These breaches often stem from “miscellaneous errors, system intrusion, and social engineering,” which collectively account for 87% of all breaches. Despite the public’s focus on sophisticated cyber-attacks, such as those exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities, the report highlights that the majority of breaches are initiated by non-malicious human actions, like simple mistakes or susceptibility to social engineering tactics.

While accidental breaches predominate, the report also notes a concerning increase in incidents involving zero-day exploits, which now represent 14% of all breaches globally. This uptick is significantly attributed to high-profile attacks like the MOVEit cyberattack, where ransomware group Cl0p exploited vulnerabilities to steal vast quantities of sensitive data. This serves as a reminder of the critical importance of ongoing employee training and the implementation of robust cybersecurity measures to mitigate both internal and external threats.