Young workers, usually regarded as the most tech-savvy, have the greatest vulnerability to cybercrime, research shows.

They are more likely than older people to take shortcuts on basic security, delay updates, reuse passwords or click on phishing links, a QBE survey of 1700 Australians and New Zealanders found.

QBE global head of cyber Serene Davis says young people often juggle many devices, apps and logins, and can be less tolerant of security measures that interrupt their workflow.  

“This can increase the likelihood of human error, which is the leading cause of most cyber incidents.”  

The study found 41% of respondents delay software updates and 32% think using multifactor authentication is a “hassle”. 

About 61% reuse passwords, and while 86% of employees believe they would recognise a cyber threat, the survey report says their confidence is misplaced. 

Ms Davis says cybercriminals increasingly rely on human error to breach organisations’ security.

In too many businesses, cyber is siloed as “an IT problem”, leaving executives unprepared to lead during a crisis and employees unsure where they stand, she warns. 

“If your leadership team isn’t asking the right questions about cyber, the business is already vulnerable,” Ms Davis said. 

The report, titled Click, Breach, Repeat, is available here. 

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