Phishing remains one of the most effective and widespread tactics used by cybercriminals to deceive victims and gain access to sensitive information. While phishing can occur through text messages (SMiShing), social media platforms, or phone calls, email continues to be the most common vector. With AI tools making it easier to craft convincing, personalized messages at scale, phishing campaigns have become harder to detect and easier for attackers to launch. These emails can slip past traditional filters, blend into busy inboxes, and reach millions within seconds. No business is too small or too niche to be targeted. Whether it’s part of a global campaign or a tailored attack aimed at your organization, phishing often serves as the entry point for more damaging exploits, including credential theft, ransomware, or data breaches.
Phishing by the Numbers: Why the Threat Is Bigger Than Ever
Phishing remains the leading initial access method in cyberattacks—only now, it’s more evasive and convincing than ever. Thanks to AI, attackers are crafting personalized, fast-evolving phishing emails at scale. Between late 2024 and early 2025, phishing emails increased by 17.3%, with over 82% exhibiting clear signs of AI involvement. These attacks are harder to spot, often bypassing filters and impersonating trusted brands, executives, or coworkers.
Recently, phishing attacks became more targeted and effective:
- 73% of global organizations experienced at least one successful phishing attack in 2025 with over 3.4 billion phishing emails are sent daily.
- 47% of phishing emails bypass standard filters, and 18% of recipients still click on urgency-based lures.
- Across all industries, the average cost of a phishing-related data breach is $4.88 million.
Phishing is no longer just a numbers game. With AI, attackers can scale their campaigns without sacrificing believability, making every employee a potential entry point.
Phishing Defense Requires More Than Just One Safety Net
Relying solely on training employees to spot phishing emails isn’t enough anymore—while awareness is important, it only provides moderate protection at best. Today’s phishing attacks are increasingly sophisticated, making it essential to bolster your security with multiple layers of defense. By integrating additional safety nets into your security infrastructure, you can significantly strengthen your phishing protection—without disrupting user productivity. For example, the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) recommends a multi-layered approach to phishing defense that includes:
1. Complicate the path for attackers to reach your employees' mailboxes:
- Implement anti-spoofing controls, like registering business details with DMARC
- Filter or block inbound phishing emails using a dedicated email security solution supported by real-time threat intelligence
2. Identify for your employees how to identify suspected phishing emails and show them the process for reporting them:
- Provide training for the employees to spot phishing emails
- Help employees recognize processes that can be mimicked and exploited
- Create an environment where employees can easily seek help
3. Safeguard the company from potential harm caused by phishing emails that go undetected:
- Protect accounts with phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Protect employees from accessing malicious websites
- Protect devices from malware
4. Respond swiftly to reported incidents and close the feedback loop:
- Define and frequently rehearse an incident response plan
- Encourage employees to report any suspicious activity, and train them accordingly
These steps are crucial because they help minimize the damage if a phishing attack succeeds.
It’s important to remember that even with robust email security solutions in place, many phishing emails can still slip through and land in employees’ inboxes. That’s why reinforcing the second line of defense, the human element, is just as vital.
Empowering Employees to Recognize Phishing Emails Strengthens Your Security
One critical, but sometimes overlooked, aspect of phishing defense is equipping employees with effective training, including phishing simulations and ongoing security awareness programs. Without this, clicking on suspicious links becomes all too common. Relying solely on individuals to be constantly vigilant, especially without robust email security tools in place, is simply unrealistic.
It’s no secret that identifying phishing emails is challenging, especially spear phishing, which targets individuals with tailored, convincing messages. Most people will encounter or even fall for a phishing attempt at some point in their lives. When rolling out training, be upfront about this reality and avoid expecting perfect recognition every time.
Equally important: Never penalize employees for mistakes. Fear of retaliation discourages reporting, leaving security gaps unaddressed. Instead, foster an environment where employees feel safe reporting suspicious emails and asking for help when something feels off. This builds a culture of proactive defense across the entire organization.
Make sure every department hears this message, especially those at higher risk, like HR (handling sensitive personnel data), Accounts Payable (with access to financial accounts), and teams under strict compliance requirements. These groups often face targeted spear phishing attacks, while customer-facing teams deal with a flood of unsolicited or unknown emails.
Spotting phishing emails isn’t easy, but with the right training and support, it’s absolutely achievable.