A new report highlights how phishing threats are evolving at a pace that many security teams struggle to meet. For example, the report found that there was one malicious email every 42 seconds in 2024, with many of them involved in polymorphic phishing attacks that shift in real-time to evade conventional security measures. 

Researchers also noted a rise in attack sophistication due to AI. Malicious actors were observed automating the development of malware, scaling attacks across sectors, and personalizing phishing messages. These threats are able to circumvent traditional email filters making them difficult to detect and prevent. 

Key findings from the report include: 

• More than 40% of malware detected was newly observed.
• Email scams rose by 70% year-over-year.
• Microsoft spoofing increased by 156%, tax scams by 340%, and legitimate file abuse by 575%.