As AI fraud and insider threats rise, more firms are making pre-interview screening the first line of defence. Here’s why HR must act earlier
Matrix is a leading provider of workforce management solutions that aims to revolutionise the way employers attract, recruit and manage their indirect workforce
The new frontline in cyber defence might just be your hiring team
For years the focus of recruitment has been the candidate experience. But today, as threat actors evolve, that experience is also becoming a point of organisational vulnerability.
As Susie Thomson, chief operating officer at Matrix Security Watchdog, observes following the recent Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA) Summit in Paris, the tone has shifted: "What was once a forum for optimising candidate experience has evolved into something far more urgent: how to defend organisations from a new generation of hiring fraud, identity attacks and insider threats. The competition for talent hasn’t gone away but it’s now matched by a race to stop those seeking to exploit recruitment systems from the inside."
She’s not exaggerating. The People Space’s recent story Your culture is the weakest link: why cybersecurity starts with HR highlighted a similar message from Microsoft’s chief security adviser Sarah Armstrong-Smith – threat actors are incredibly well organised. They share information. They’re agile. They adapt fast.
Organisations, by contrast, are often still treating hiring security as a post-offer step. And that’s where things are going wrong.
From CV lies to digital infiltration
Screening used to be about checking for exaggerated CVs or unspent convictions. Today, it’s about something far more complex. “Threat actors have evolved. It’s no longer just about falsified CVs and fudged qualifications. We’re talking about sophisticated operatives, some potentially backed by hostile states, using AI-driven impersonation, forged documentation and social engineering to infiltrate organisations at their most vulnerable moment: during hiring,” explains Thomson.
She cites a real case discussed at the Paris summit: an IT security contractor started work before checks were completed and was later linked to nation-state operatives. The individual had been granted access to firewall settings, encryption keys and the organisation’s broader network defence infrastructure.
"One exploit could have triggered a catastrophic breach," says Thomson. "That’s why background checks should become the first line of cyber defence."
Why pre-interview screening matters
The logic is simple: once someone is invited to interview they start interacting with systems, platforms and employees. They might receive access to pre-boarding portals, shared folders or internal contacts. If that individual isn’t who they claim to be the damage can begin before day one.
“Today’s threat actors don’t just target systems, they target people. And unless you understand the identity, intent and digital footprint of your incoming workforce, you’re leaving your organisation exposed,” says Thomson.
She notes that the rise of remote hiring, global talent pools and decentralised teams means traditional checks need to evolve. But, she says, screening companies are also better equipped and organisations can now take advantage of advanced tools for verifying identity in real time, cross-referencing public and social data, detecting anomalies in applications and flagging high-risk patterns across large volumes of applicants.
Culture, trust and evolving threats
The idea that hiring is now part of a company’s cyber strategy is still unfamiliar to many HR teams. But the shift is already happening.
Forward-looking organisations are embedding screening into risk frameworks, working more closely with IT and compliance, and reconsidering how hiring intersects with digital access policies. That alignment matters.
Because as Armstrong-Smith says, if you don’t have a people-centred cyber strategy, you don’t have a strategy."
Thomson agrees. "“It’s encouraging to see that many organisations are embracing this shift. They’re no longer viewing background checks as a regulatory checkbox or back-office function. Instead, they’re integrating them with risk management, cybersecurity protocols and digital access planning. It’s a cultural shift that says: we don’t just hire talent, we secure it.”
What we’re seeing is a mindset shift. Screening isn’t a back-office compliance step anymore. It’s a strategic defence layer.
Five tips for HR leaders
- Rethink the order of operations
Move ID verification and screening tools earlier in the hiring process – ideally before interviews are scheduled - Review access points
Audit what systems, contacts or information candidates can access during the interview phase - Collaborate across functions
Work with IT, risk and compliance teams to align screening with wider cyber defence protocols - Educate your hiring managers
Make sure recruiters and line managers understand the risks of social engineering, impersonation and incomplete checks - Treat screening as a trust enabler
Framing screening as part of your culture of safety helps candidates understand it’s about protection, not suspicion.