Top cybersecurity leaders are sounding the alarm about a new generation of "advanced persistent teenagers" who are using sophisticated tactics to breach corporate networks and steal sensitive data. These skilled, financially motivated hackers have already caused massive data breaches affecting millions of people and have prompted companies to reexamine their security strategies.

According to security veterans, these teenage cybercriminals are using tactics such as email lures and convincing phone calls to trick employees into giving up their corporate passwords or network access. Their motivations are often unpredictable, and their techniques, while not particularly advanced, are highly effective. The attacks have resulted in huge ransoms being paid to make the hackers go away.

Companies are now grappling with the realization that they don't know if the employees on their networks are who they say they are, and not actually stealthy hackers. To combat this threat, companies like MongoDB are focusing on identity and access management to ensure that only authorized employees are accessing their networks. The security community is also recognizing the need to embrace neurodiverse talent to better understand and counter these new types of threats.