About the Human Element Podcast

People continue to be the weakest link in any cybersecurity plan.

Recognizing that not enough is being done to address the human component of data breaches, ransomware attacks, and malicious hacking, The Human Element was created. The goal of The Human Element is to foster collaboration and participation while providing education to elevate everyone’s awareness of how to recognize social engineering and scams that lead to cyber-attacks.

According to the 2024 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, a staggering 88% of all breaches involved the human element. This often comes in the form of social engineering, phishing, or scams, though insider threats remain a significant concern. Despite these alarming numbers, many organizations still address this risk with the bare minimum—annual training consisting of a brief video, a simple 10-question quiz, and a sign-off confirming completion. Many IT service providers rely on similar approaches, offering little beyond basic training partnerships that fail to engage or inform effectively.

The Human Element is a blog and podcast dedicated to helping individuals and businesses understand how to identify and combat social engineering, phishing, and scams that frequently result in breaches or financial loss. While the current focus is on raising awareness through these platforms, there’s much more in the pipeline that will further enhance this initiative in the future.

Scott Gombar, the owner of Nwaj Tech—a client-focused, security-minded, proactive IT service provider based in Central Connecticut—launched The Human Element after recognizing a critical gap in how cybersecurity addresses human vulnerabilities. Nwaj Tech, like many Managed Service Providers (MSPs), offers a robust security stack, but during the first three years of serving clients, Scott realized that the human element of cybersecurity was being overlooked. With his deep understanding of social engineering and its associated risks, Scott set out to create The Human Element.

The initial launch of this project includes a blog and podcast, both aimed at educating and engaging the community. However, this is just the beginning. As technology evolves, so too will The Human Element, with plans already in the works to expand its offerings and impact.

We’d love to hear from you. If you have ideas, suggestions, or want to be a guest on the podcast, please reach out to us at info@thehumanelement.net.

We hope you find The Human Element useful in raising awareness about the human factor in cybersecurity and helping to mitigate this critical risk.