Optery's 2026 Survey Reveals Rise in Social Engineering Threats Targeting Enterprises

• •96% of cybersecurity leaders reported an increase in targeted social engineering attacks.
• •Data broker and people-sites are now seen as the main sources of attacker intelligence.
• •Reducing publicly available employee data is the top defense priority for enterprises.

Optery released its 2026 Enterprise Social Engineering Survey Report, revealing that 96% of cybersecurity leaders noted an increase in targeted social engineering attacks over the past year. The survey, which included responses from 421 cybersecurity leaders, identified data broker and people-sites as the primary sources of attacker intelligence, surpassing social media and breach data. Approximately 75% of respondents reported credential compromises linked to these attacks. The report highlights a strategic shift in defense priorities, with reducing publicly available employee data being the top proactive defense and investment focus. Cybersecurity teams are increasingly implementing programs to limit exposed employee data, recognizing its role in enabling social engineering. The attacks are reported across multiple channels, including email, SMS, social media, and voice, complicating defense efforts.