Cyber Trust Index 2026: most employees don't always verify who is requesting money or data

WatchGuard Technologies released its first annual Cyber Trust Index on November 10, surveying more than 500 full-time employees across eight countries. The report found that 55% do not always check the sender before responding to requests for money, credentials, or confidential information. Although 46% say they trust digital communications more than they did five years ago, familiarity is often used as a substitute for verification, with 72% admitting they clicked a link or opened an attachment because it seemed to come from someone they knew. Many respondents also said they would trust an urgent message from a senior executive without checking it, and 54% reported encountering an AI-generated scam. Verification rates varied widely by country, from 69% in Australia to 22% in Germany.