CYBERSECURITY, AI & PAYROLL RESILIENCE

Defending Finance’s Last Mile

Payroll teams handle money, data, and trust…
three things cybercriminals value most.

Tight deadlines and access to sensitive information make payroll one of the top targets for attack.

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What This Presentation Covered

In today’s digital workplace, payroll teams handles some of the most valuable assets for cybercriminals. This presentation explores how AI-driven threats are reshaping payroll risk and what organizations can do to defend the “last mile” of finance: getting people paid securely and on time.

Michael Anderson broke down real-world attack methods, from AI voice impersonation to phishing scams and ransomware, and provides actionable strategies for building human, technical, and organizational resilience against modern cyber threats.

Key Topics

Anatomy of Modern Threats

  • AI-driven impersonation: Criminals can clone executive voices using under 60 seconds of audio.
  • AI-generated phishing: Personalized emails now mimic internal tone, branding, and urgency.
  • Ransomware: Can freeze payroll systems entirely — even payment doesn’t guarantee recovery.

Payroll Risk Scenarios

  • Phishing & social engineering: “Change of payee” scams that reroute salaries.
  • Software vulnerabilities: Unpatched systems remain an open door for attackers.
  • Third-party risk: Breaches in vendors (e.g., benefits or time-tracking systems) can compromise you.

Defensive Strategies & Best Practices

  • Human Layers: Employee awareness and training remain your strongest defense.
  • AI-Augmented Defense: Smart detection tools can flag deepfakes and suspicious activity faster.
  • Organizational Resilience: Immutable backups, MFA, and tested incident response plans minimize downtime and damage.
Key Takeaways
  • Cybersecurity isn’t just IT’s problem, it’s everyone’s responsibility.
  • AI can be used to attack or defend, it’s how you apply it that counts.
  • Preparation beats perfection: A layered, practiced response keeps payroll running even when chaos hits.
  • The right blend of people, process, and technology builds true payroll resilience.