-optimized.jpg){kind=avatar}
Your email inbox is no longer the only front line for coordinated social engineering attacks, according to the vendor KnowBe4. The company has released its Phishing Threat Trends Report Volume Seven.
Among its findings: most, 86 per cent of phishing attacks were AI driven; and it saw a 49pc increase in calendar invite phishing.
Jack Chapman, SVP of Threat Intelligence at KnowBe4, said: โCybercriminals are actively broadening the email threat landscape. As businesses rely on tools for real-time collaboration, cybercriminals have added this to their attacks, along with targeting peopleโs calendars. This attack method targets people and technology together. This escalation in scale of threat brings a whole new issue to the forefront.โ
He summed up that phishing in 2026 is disciplined, persistent, multi-channel and increasingly AI-enabled. He said: “As cybercriminals expand their attack channels and evolve their tactics, we must focus our protection efforts on securing humans and the AI agents they utilise.โ
UK survey
Meanwhile, according to the UK official annual cyber breaches survey, phishing attacks remained the most prevalent type of breach or attack by far (experienced by 38 per cent of businesses and 25pc of charities) and continued to be ascribed as the most disruptive type of breach or attack (69pc of businesses and charities that experienced a breach or attack). Among those who had a breach or attack, the proportion experiencing phishing attacks only (and no other type of breach or attack) has increased among businesses and charities alike.
The surveyors also carried out some interviews. That pointed to ‘varied’ strategies to monitor and prevent or block phishing attacks, and showed the diverse ways businesses and charities managed their cyber threats. For instance, larger organisations tended to focus on continuous training of staff, noting that staff were a common point of weakness in their cyber defences. Smaller organisations tended to mention initial training when staff joined, but a lack of resource prevented continuous training.
For the survey findings in full visit the DSIT (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology) website.
Comment
