Phishing in 2026: Types, Risks, and How to Protect Your Data

Internet fraud is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Cybercriminals use artificial intelligence, create perfect replicas of websites, and deceive even experienced users. Let's explore what phishing is and how to protect your data from hackers.

What a Phishing Attack Is

Phishing is a type of cybercrime aimed at stealing users' confidential data through deception and social engineering. The term comes from the word "fishing" — attackers literally "hook" unsuspecting users. Phishing works by creating fake web resources that imitate legitimate sites of popular companies. Cybercriminals copy the design of banks, online stores, social networks, and government portals. When a user enters personal data on such a site, it immediately falls into the hands of fraudsters.

Scope of the Threat

According to Positive Technologies, the number of phishing attacks in 2024 increased by 33% compared to 2023 and by 72% compared to 2022. The main danger of phishing is that there is no universal software capable of fully protecting against such attacks. Fake websites are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and recognizing them can be extremely difficult even for specialists.

The Evolution of Phishing: From Simple Spam to Artificial Intelligence

The Era of Simple Fakes

In the 1990s, phishing consisted of mass mailings of primitive emails with obvious errors and suspicious sender addresses. The effectiveness of such attacks was low, but they required minimal effort from attackers.

Targeted Phishing and Social Engineering

With the rise of social networks, spear phishing emerged — targeted attacks on specific individuals or companies. Hackers study victims' profiles on social media, collect information about their positions, colleagues, and interests, and create personalized messages that appear completely legitimate. A vivid example is the hack of Hillary Clinton's campaign in 2016. Campaign chairman John Podesta received a phishing email asking him to change his Google password. After following the instructions, attackers gained access to his email and the entire campaign's correspondence, seriously affecting the election campaign.

The Age of Artificial Intelligence

Modern phishing in 2024-2026 uses advanced technologies: Text generation. Neural networks create emails without grammatical errors, written in the corporate style of the company. After the advent of ChatGPT, the number of phishing attacks increased by 1265% in one year, according to SlashNext. Voice cloning. Technologies allow creating convincing voice imitations of executives from short recordings. Fraudsters call employees in finance departments and issue urgent money transfer orders. Deep personalization. AI analyzes social media posts and generates contextual messages that consider the victim's interests, recent events, and connections. Important to know: Artificial intelligence has turned phishing from a crude craft into a high-tech industry. Attackers now have tools previously available only to intelligence agencies.

Main Types of Phishing Attacks

By Distribution Method

Email phishing. Classic emails containing malicious links or files. Senders disguise themselves as banks, government agencies, or popular services. SMS phishing (smishing). Text messages about card blocks, winnings, fines, or deliveries with links to fake websites. Phishing in messengers and social networks. Messages may come from hacked accounts of friends, increasing trust in the content. Quishing (QR phishing). A new trend — using QR codes that bypass corporate email filters. The user scans the code with a phone and lands on a phishing site.

By Data Collection Method

Fake websites. Attackers register domains differing from the original by one character (e.g., replacing lowercase L with uppercase I). Visually, the sites look identical to the real ones. Malicious files. Archives and documents that, when opened, install spyware on the device, stealing passwords, card data, and correspondence.

Who Becomes a Victim of Phishing

Most common targets: • Government agencies — 15% • Industrial enterprises — 10% • IT companies — 9% • Financial organizations — 15% • Ordinary internet users Anyone can fall victim to phishing. Attackers target: Individuals — to steal money from bank accounts, gain access to cloud storage and social networks. Entrepreneurs — via fake supplier and partner websites. Company employees — to gain access to corporate infrastructure. According to Group-IB, about 70% of all targeted attacks on companies start with phishing. Financial specialists — accountants and employees working with online banking systems become targets via specialized resources.

High-Profile Phishing Cases

Sony Pictures Hack (2014). Hackers studied employee profiles on LinkedIn and sent phishing emails with viruses. Result — theft of over 100 TB of data, leaks of unreleased films, and personal information of 3,803 employees. Celebrity Private Photo Leak (2014). Hacker Ryan Collins used phishing sites to access 50 iCloud accounts and 72 Gmail accounts, leading to the publication of personal photos of Jennifer Lawrence, Rihanna, and others.

How to Recognize Phishing: Signs of Fraud

Check the Sender's Address

Even if the email shows a familiar company name, always check the actual email address. Attackers use similar domains: [email protected] instead of [email protected] (note the uppercase I instead of lowercase l).

Analyze the Message Content

Warning signs: • Urgency and pressure: "Your account will be blocked in 24 hours" • Too-good-to-be-true offers: "You won an iPhone" • Requests to confirm data or make urgent payments • Grammatical errors (though modern phishing can be flawless) • Generic greetings instead of personalized ones

Check Links Before Clicking

Hover over a link (without clicking) — the browser shows the real address at the bottom. Ensure the domain belongs to the official organization. Domain check: On https://2ip.io/domain-age/ you can find the domain registration date. Fraudulent sites usually exist only for a few days or weeks.

Pay Attention to the Browser Address Bar

What to check: • Accuracy of the domain name (googIe.com instead of googLe.com with uppercase I) • Presence of https and a closed lock icon — secure connection • Security certificate (click the lock to view) Remember: https does not guarantee legitimacy — modern scammers also obtain SSL certificates.

Comprehensive Phishing Protection: Practical Recommendations

Technical Protection Measures

Install a quality antivirus. A good antivirus suite includes protection against phishing, spam, and malware. Regularly update databases — new threats appear daily. Use two-factor authentication (2FA). Even if attackers get your password, a second factor (app or SMS code) prevents them from accessing your account. Configure email security protocols. For corporate domains, implement DMARC, DKIM, and SPF — making it harder to spoof your company’s address. Update your browser and operating system. Developers continuously patch vulnerabilities used by cybercriminals.

Safe Behavior Rules

Never click links in suspicious messages. Manually type the site address in the browser or use saved bookmarks. Do not open attachments from unknown senders. Even if the email seems familiar but looks strange — call and verify. Use a separate card for online purchases. Create a virtual card and transfer only the amount for a specific purchase. Some banks allow one-time cards for single transactions. Check payment gateways. Payments should redirect to a secure payment system page (Visa Secure, MasterCard SecureCode, Mir Accept). Never enter CVV codes or SMS codes on store websites. Never share secret bank SMS codes. Real bank representatives never ask for verification codes.

Education and Awareness

Conduct staff training. Companies should regularly hold cybersecurity training and phishing simulations with error analysis. Develop critical thinking. Ask yourself: "Was I expecting this message?" Any sudden request for action should raise suspicion. Create a culture of digital security. Trust online should be earned, not automatic.

What to Do If You Become a Victim of Phishing

Act quickly! 1. Immediately block your bank card via mobile app or hotline 2. Change passwords for all important accounts, especially if you reused passwords 3. Scan your computer and smartphone with antivirus 4. Contact the bank to dispute suspicious transactions 5. File a police report for fraud 6. Warn your contacts if attackers gained access to your correspondence

Phishing Trends in 2026

Use of large language models. AI creates personalized messages indistinguishable in style and content from real ones. Deepfakes in video conferences. Cases of phishing via fake video calls, where hackers use deepfake technology to imitate executives’ faces. Attacks via IoT devices. Smart homes and connected gadgets become new entry points for phishing attacks. Exploitation of current events. Fraudsters instantly react to news, disasters, and legal changes, creating thematic phishing campaigns.

Conclusion

Phishing has evolved from primitive spam to a high-tech form of cybercrime using artificial intelligence. The arms race between attackers and security specialists continues, and absolute protection does not exist. The main weapon against phishing is your attentiveness and critical thinking. Technical defenses are important, but the human factor remains decisive. Remember: if something looks suspicious, urgent, or too good to be true — it is probably phishing. Cultivate digital vigilance, regularly update your knowledge about new fraud methods, and use multi-layered protection. In today's digital world, security is not a one-time action but a continuous practice.