Sophos Phishing Insights 2021

While phishing has been around for a quarter of a century, it remains an effective cyberattack technique primarily because it continues to evolve. Adversaries are quick to identify new phishing opportunities – of which the pandemic provided many – and develop new tactics and techniques.

For organizations, phishing is often the first step in a complex, multi-stage attack. Adversaries frequently use phishing to trick users into installing malware or sharing credentials that provide access to their victim’s network. A seemingly innocuous email can ultimately lead to ransomware, cryptojacking, or data theft.

This report provides the latest insights into phishing based on an independent survey of 5,400 IT professionals at the IT frontline around the globe, along with a case study of a real-world phishing attack that led to a multi-million-dollar ransomware incident.

According to the Verizon 2021 Data Breach Investigation Report, 36% of confirmed data breaches involve phishing (up from 25% in 2019). Use these survey findings to evaluate your own phishing security posture and identify opportunities to extend your defenses.

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