Phishing Statistics Everyone Should Know
- 90% of successful cyberattacks start with a phishing email: A significant number of data breaches originate from a phishing email, underscoring how effective phishing can be as an entry point for attackers.
Source: Cisco 2023 Cybersecurity Threat Report
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/security/security-reports.html - Human error is the leading cause of phishing success: Over 85% of phishing incidents are successful due to individuals falling for deceptive tactics, highlighting the importance of user awareness and training.
Source: IBM 2023 Cost of a Data Breach Report
https://www.ibm.com/security/data-breach - Phishing attempts targeting cloud-based emails have increased by 63%: As cloud services like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace grow in popularity, phishing attacks are increasingly aimed at compromising these accounts.
Source: Microsoft Security Intelligence Report 2023
https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog - The average cost of a phishing attack on a mid-sized business is $1.6 million: Beyond the immediate damage, phishing attacks can result in significant financial losses, including system downtime, data recovery, and lost business.
Source: Ponemon Institute 2023 Phishing Cost Study
https://www.ponemon.org/research - Phishing websites surged by 400% in 2020: The creation of fake websites used in phishing attacks spiked dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, taking advantage of increased online activity.
Source: Google Safe Browsing Report 2020
https://transparencyreport.google.com/safe-browsing/overview - 68% of phishing attacks are financially motivated: A majority of phishing attacks aim to steal money, either through financial fraud, ransomware, or identity theft.
Source: Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report
https://www.verizon.com/business/resources/reports/dbir/
The Role of AI in Phishing
- AI-powered phishing attacks are growing by 135% annually: The use of AI to craft more sophisticated and personalized phishing emails is on the rise, making it harder for traditional detection methods to identify malicious content.
Source: Forrester Research
https://www.forrester.com - AI-generated phishing emails have a 30% higher success rate: Emails created using AI are often more convincing because they mimic human language more effectively, leading to a higher likelihood of recipients falling for the scam.
Source: Europol’s Internet Organized Crime Threat Assessment (IOCTA) 2021
https://www.europol.europa.eu - AI-driven phishing attacks exploit data at scale: AI can analyze vast amounts of personal data from social media, company websites, and public databases to craft targeted spear-phishing attacks.
Source: Symantec 2023 Internet Security Threat Report
https://symantec-enterprise-blogs.security.com - Deepfake phishing attacks are emerging: AI is being used to create deepfake videos or audio recordings that impersonate company executives or high-level officials, increasing the effectiveness of Business Email Compromise (BEC) and vishing attacks.
Source: FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) 2023
https://www.ic3.gov - AI is automating phishing kits and malicious chatbots: AI-powered chatbots are being used to automate phishing attempts, enabling attackers to scale operations quickly.
Source: Trend Micro 2023 Midyear Cybersecurity Report
https://www.trendmicro.com
Business Email Compromise (BEC) Statistics
- BEC attacks caused $2.7 billion in losses in 2022: BEC is one of the most financially damaging types of phishing, with the FBI reporting significant global financial losses attributed to these highly targeted attacks.
Source: FBI Internet Crime Report 2022
https://www.ic3.gov - BEC attacks make up 19% of all cybercrime losses: Despite being fewer in number compared to traditional phishing attacks, BEC accounts for a significant portion of total cybercrime financial losses.
Source: Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report
https://www.verizon.com/business/resources/reports/dbir/ - 77% of businesses targeted by BEC attacks in 2022: A majority of businesses have experienced at least one attempt at BEC, indicating the widespread nature of these attacks.
Source: Proofpoint 2023 State of the Phish Report
https://www.proofpoint.com/us/resources/threat-reports/state-of-phish - Average financial loss per BEC incident: $120,000: BEC attacks are highly lucrative, with the average successful attack leading to substantial financial losses for the targeted organization.
Source: Palo Alto Networks 2023 Unit 42 Threat Report
https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com - BEC attacks have increased by 65% in 2022: With more sophisticated tactics such as email spoofing and deepfake audio, BEC attacks are rising rapidly and evolving in complexity.
Source: Mimecast 2023 Email Security Report
https://www.mimecast.com/content/email-security-report/
Phishing, especially when augmented by AI and advanced BEC tactics, has become one of the most severe threats in the cyber landscape today. From the financial losses to its ease of execution, phishing remains a top concern for businesses and individuals alike. With attackers leveraging AI to enhance their phishing attempts and targeting high-value victims through BEC, the threat continues to evolve. Staying vigilant and informed about these statistics is crucial to understanding and combating the growing risk of phishing in all its forms.