Just half of Irish office workers are confident in their ability to identify phishing attacks, new research shows.
The data from Accenture reveals that 19% admit to entering sensitive business data, like customer details and financial information into free, unsecured artificial intelligence tools.
The survey of 1,000 workers shows that 65% receive cybersecurity training either quarterly or annually, however 10% have never received such training.
87% of workers said they have encountered suspicious messages at work, while 36% have received an email or text impersonating a co-worker.
The report shows that 77% of employees are likely to report a phishing attempt, while 46% said they are unsure what to do if they receive suspicious messages.
When it comes to cyber concerns, AI-driven phishing emails top the list for Irish office workers, followed by identity theft through AI misuse.
Deepfake threats are also a major worry, with 32% concerned about impersonations of their own likeness and 31% about deepfake videos impersonating leaders or executives.
"These findings highlight the evolving nature of cyber threats in the age of AI and the urgent need for businesses to address gaps in training, tools, and reporting culture," said Jacky Fox, Senior Managing Director at Accenture Cybersecurity.
"While 52% of employees feel confident spotting phishing attempts, it only takes one person to be deceived for an attack to succeed, and human error remains the leading cause of breaches," she added.
