Enterprises Target Data Brokers to Combat Rising Social Engineering Threats
Event summary
- Optery's 2026 Enterprise Social Engineering Survey Report reveals 77.4% of cybersecurity leaders view employee data on data broker sites as a major risk.
- 76.5% of respondents categorize reducing publicly exposed employee data as a core security initiative.
- 82.2% of organizations plan to expand personal data removal coverage in the next 12 months.
- Survey of 421 cybersecurity leaders shows 75% reported credential compromise from social engineering attacks in the past year.
The big picture
The report highlights a strategic pivot in enterprise cybersecurity, with organizations increasingly focusing on reducing exposed employee data as a primary defense against social engineering. This shift reflects growing recognition of data brokers as key enablers of targeted attacks, particularly as AI-driven threats become more scalable. The findings suggest a broader industry trend toward proactive data management as a core security measure.
What we're watching
- Defensive Strategy Shift
- How enterprises will prioritize reducing exposed employee data over traditional perimeter defenses.
- Data Broker Impact
- Whether data brokers will respond to enterprise pressure by limiting publicly available employee information.
- AI-Driven Attacks
- The pace at which AI-generated social engineering attacks will force further investment in data removal solutions.
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