Fake Employees Pose Real Security Risks
Dark Reading, Thursday, August 21st, 2025
The dangers are particularly severe when they secure IT positions with privileged access and administrative permissions.
That IT staffer you just hired may not be who you think. They may not even exist.
Gartner recently projected that by 2028, one in four job candidates will be artificial intelligence-generated. These fake individuals could be the work of state-sponsored hackers, cybercriminals, or simply fraudsters lining up multiple jobs to collect paychecks while performing little or no work.
"With widespread adoption of AI and GenAI by consumers, employers, and candidates, candidate fraud is easier to accomplish," said Emi Chiba, Senior Principal Analyst at Gartner. The reasons can range from benign resume inflation to criminal activity, such as theft of intellectual property, she said.