As deepfake scams and identity-based attacks emerge as leading cyber threats in 2026, organisations must strengthen employee awareness and identity security to build a human firewall against evolving cyber risks.
As cybercriminals adapt their tactics in an increasingly digital landscape, 2026 has seen a dramatic shift in the nature of cyber threats. In this evolving battleground, the human factor has emerged as a primary target, with AI-driven social engineering, deepfake scams, and identity-based attacks leading the charge. According to Rowan Swanepoel, Principal Cyber Security Specialist at Cyberlogic, organisations must bolster employee awareness and identity security to establish a robust “human firewall” capable of defending against these alarming trends.
In the past, corporate cybersecurity strategies predominantly focused on hardware and infrastructure. However, as technology has become more sophisticated, so have the methods employed by cybercriminals. “Cybercriminals have realised that breaking through a company's technology stack is often far more difficult than manipulating a person,” explains Swanepoel. This shift highlights a fundamental change in strategy: as organisational systems become more fortified, hackers are increasingly turning to social manipulation and psychological tactics to gain access.
