New Employee Security Risks: Why Your Newest Hire Is Your Biggest Cyber Target
When you bring someone new onto your team, your focus is usually on onboarding, equipment, access, and helping them settle in. But there’s something most businesses overlook — new employee security risks, and they’re far more dangerous than most realize.
Recent research shows that 71% of new hires fall for phishing or social engineering attacks within their first 90 days. Cybercriminals know new employees are unfamiliar with internal processes, unsure of communication norms, and eager to follow instructions. That makes them the perfect target.
Why New Employees Are Prime Targets
Starting a new job comes with uncertainty. Your newest staff members don’t yet know:
What normal internal communication looks like
Who is responsible for what
How requests are typically handled
What procedures are legitimate
Attackers exploit this gap by sending messages that appear to come from HR, leadership, or tech support. These phishing attempts often request urgent information, false “account updates,” invoice approvals, or access to internal systems.
Because of this, new hires are 44% more likely to click on malicious links compared to long-time employees. When the attacker impersonates an executive, the risk jumps even higher — new employees are 45% more likely to be fooled.
That onboarding period isn’t just vulnerable… it’s the most vulnerable window your business faces all year.
The Hidden Cost of New Employee Security Risks
A single mistake from a new employee can lead to:
Ransomware
Compromised credentials
Data leaks
Interrupted operations
Expensive downtime
Insurance claims (or denied claims)
And because cybercriminals target businesses of all sizes — especially those without full-time IT departments — ignoring these risks isn’t an option.
How Smart Businesses Reduce New Hire Security Risks
The most effective way to protect your business is to build cybersecurity training directly into your onboarding process. Waiting until a new employee “settles in” is a costly mistake — the highest-risk period is their very first week.
Businesses that implement early, role-specific security training see impressive results. One report shows that phishing risk drops by 30% after onboarding when new employees receive targeted awareness training and realistic phishing simulations.
In other words:
A little security education on day one can save you from a very expensive disaster on day ninety.
Tools Help… But People Are Your First Line of Defense
Firewalls, antivirus software, and monitoring tools are essential, but they don’t stop human error — especially from new hires who haven’t learned what to watch for. Your technology stack is only as strong as the employees using it.
That’s why addressing new employee security risks is one of the smartest, most cost-effective cybersecurity decisions you can make.
Protect Your New Employees — and Your Entire Business — Starting Today
If you want to reduce your company’s exposure to new hire security risks, we can help.
We offer simple, effective, and customized cybersecurity onboarding for new employees, including:
Security awareness training
Phishing simulations
Access control setup
Safe system configuration
Ongoing monitoring and protection
Start your team strong — and keep your business safer from day one.
If you’d like help implementing a secure onboarding process for your new hires, get in touch.