Trust Issues: How Gen Z Attackers Hack Without Exploits

• Length: 20 minutes

Forget zero-days - today’s attackers are skipping the code and going straight for your trust. In this talk, we’ll explore how a new wave of cybercriminals, many young, non-technical, and highly creative, are bypassing traditional defenses using native tools, built-in features, and social engineering.

From abusing RMM software and Microsoft Teams messages to weaponizing OneNote, these attackers don’t need exploits; they need credibility. We’ll break down real-world tactics, show how these attacks unfold, and discuss why defenders must shift their mindset from patching vulnerabilities to patching human trust.

Tom Barnea

Tom Barnea is a Cybersecurity Specialist at Varonis, where he dives into forensics investigations and leads customer-facing DFIR operations. He also contributes to internal research and the enhancement of methods and tools.

Previously, Tom was a Team Leader and Instructor for the Cybersecurity Practitioner Course at the IDF’s J6 & Cyber Defense Directorate, where he mentored future cybersecurity analysts and introduced innovative learning methods. Always curious and ready for new challenges, Tom believes in the power of continuous learning and simple solutions.

He’s passionate about sharing knowledge and truly believes that our work helps to keep the world a better place.