New hire, new risk? Let’s talk “Day-1 defense.”

First week jitters aren’t just human—they’re a hacker’s favorite snack.
When a teammate joins, we rush the essentials: laptop, email, logins, intros.
What slips? Security muscle memory.

Why the onboarding window is spicy 🌶️

New staff want to impress, don’t know the “usual,” and follow instructions fast.
Attackers pounce with “I’m your boss/HR/IT” messages that look legit.

• 71% of brand-new hires fall for phishing/social engineering in the first 90 days.
• New employees are 44% more likely to click a trap than seasoned coworkers.
• When scammers pose as executives, new folks are 45% more likely to bite.

What the scams look like (greatest hits)

• “Update benefits here” → fake HR portal
• “Urgent invoice” → bogus payment link
• “Quick favor?” → fake exec asks for data or gift cards

Fix it with “Onboarding, but secure”

Don’t wait for month three. Bake security into Day 0:

1) Just-in-time training (15–20 mins):
Spot red flags, verify senders, report a phish in two clicks.

2) Friendly simulations:
Short, realistic tests during weeks 1–4.
→ Companies that do this see ~30% lower phishing risk after onboarding.

3) Guardrails on by default:
MFA, least-privilege access, safe links/attachments, conditional access.

4) Who’s-who cheat sheet:
“Real” HR/IT/executive emails, ticketing URLs, and the approved vendor list.

5) One-tap “something’s off” button:
Make reporting easier than clicking a bad link.

Built for regulated Chicago teams

HIPAA (healthcare), FERPA (education), PCI (insurance), CJIS (government), and nonprofit data policies—people are your first control. Tools help; trained humans stop the click.