Security News > 2024 > August > Common Business-Related Phishing Scams Include Fake HR and IT Subject Lines

KnowBe4's quarterly phishing test report found that threat actors in Q2 often found success with emails spoofing HR departments.

TechRepublic spoke with KnowBe4 Security Awareness Advocate Erich Kron about the results of the phishing tests and how to keep businesses safe from ever-evolving, generative AI-powered phishing attacks.

Like malicious links, these QR codes are usually found in emails purporting to be from well-known companies, HR, or IT. "The continuous rise in HR related phishing emails is especially troubling, as they target the very foundation of organizational trust," said Stu Sjouwerman, CEO at KnowBe4, in a press release on Aug. 7.

KnowBe4, which sells a simulated phishing platform, launches fake phishing attacks against businesses to test their resilience.

The report measured "Phish-prone Percentage," a proprietary assessment of the percentage of "Employees likely to fall for social engineering or phishing scams." The average PPP fell from 34.3% to just 4.6% after a year of ongoing training and phishing tests.

SEE: The difference between phishing and spear phishing is whether the attack is widespread or crafted for a specific person.

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https://www.techrepublic.com/article/knowbe4-q2-phishing-report/