A Framework for the Human Layer of Fraud
Fraud, scams, and social engineering increasingly exploit people, not systems. Yet while technical vulnerabilities have standardized frameworks for classification, scoring, and remediation, human vulnerabilities do not.
The Human Vulnerabilities & Exploits (HVE™) Framework introduces a structured approach to identifying, classifying, scoring, and mitigating the behavioral and psychological vulnerabilities attackers exploit. It is designed to create a shared language for understanding not only what happened in an attack, but the manipulation that made it work.
Built on research across behavioral science, psychology, cybersecurity, and fraud prevention, HVE™ connects attack patterns with human context, severity, and intervention. The framework introduces concepts including the 3-Layer DNA, Human Vulnerability Severity Score (HVSS), and Human Vulnerability Patches (HVPs) to help turn human understanding into action.
As fraud becomes more personalized and AI-enabled, understanding the human layer becomes increasingly important. HVE™ provides a foundation for bringing that understanding into fraud operations and AI agents in a structured, actionable way.
