# Threat Actors Are Exploiting Human Trust

Social engineering attacks targeting the helpdesk are surging. Learn how to shut them down with identity-first security.

[Learn More](https://www.pingidentity.com/en/resources/blog/post/preventing-help-desk-compromise.html) 

## Fortify Your Helpdesk. Thwart Attackers.

Attackers don’t always opt for brute force when they’re trying to break through your defenses. The helpdesk has become a primary entry point, and identity verification must extend to every access request.

## Common Attack Vectors

Cybercriminals no longer need to breach firewalls or break encryption. They bypass security controls by targeting people — especially support teams who are trained to help.

Here’s how they’re gaining access:

- Social Engineering & Impersonation
- SIM Swapping for Credential Takeover
- MFA Fatigue & Session Hijacking
- Compromised VPN & Remote Access Tools
- Privilege Escalation & Lateral Movement
- Abuse of Identity Federation or SSO
- Ransomware Deployment
- Data Theft & Exfiltration

### Prevent Impersonation at the Source

- Verify users with government ID and live selfie checks
- Enroll high-risk users in voice biometrics with liveness detection
- Replace knowledge-based authentication with verifiable credentials

### Detect Risk in Real Time

- Use adaptive authentication to flag risky logins based on behavior, device, and location
- Score risk in real time and trigger stronger authentication automatically
- Monitor session activity to spot takeover attempts early

### Respond Automatically to Threats

- Orchestrate “dead ends” for bad actors without disrupting real users
- Enforce fine-grained authorization policies for high-risk actions like password resets
- Require full identity verification before proceeding with sensitive support workflows

Get in touch

Talk with our team to discover how to stop identity-based threats at the helpdesk before they compromise your business.

Contact Sales

Additional Resources

[Blog 

Preventing and Responding to Helpdesk Compromise](https://www.pingidentity.com/en/resources/blog/post/preventing-help-desk-compromise.html) 

[Executive Brief 

Securing the Human Perimeter: Helpdesk Identity Security](https://hub.pingidentity.com/verified-trust/4266-securing-human-perimeter) 

[White Paper 

Securing Identity in the Age of Social Engineering](https://hub.pingidentity.com/verified-trust/4267-securing-identity-social-engineering-deepfakes)