New KnowBe4 Report Reveals Spike in Ransomware Payloads and AI-Powered Polymorphic Phishing Campaigns

Today, KnowBe4 published its Phishing Threat Trend Report, Vol 5 which details threat intelligence insights surrounding phishing threats targeting organizations at the start of 2025.

The report highlights the growing threat of ransomware and explores how cybercriminals are using sophisticated tactics to bypass native security and secure email gateways (SEGs).

It also examines how AI is being leveraged to create polymorphic phishing campaigns, how attackers are infiltrating the hiring process to access systems and data, and the increasing success of attacks evading traditional defenses.

Key Findings From the Report:

  • Between September 15, 2024 and February 14, 2025 there was a 17.3% increase in phishing emails compared to the previous six months.
  • 82.6% of all phishing emails analyzed exhibited some use of AI.
  • The report observes a 22.6% increase in ransomware payloads.
  • The phishing hyperlink, malware, and social engineering payloads getting through traditional detection have surged, with phishing hyperlinks increasing by 36.8%, malware by 20%, and social engineering tactics by 14.2% compared to the previous six months.
  • Additionally, there has been a 57.9% increase in attacks being sent from compromised accounts getting through traditional detection.
  • The top five legitimate platforms used to send phishing emails include DocuSign, Paypal, Microsoft, Google Drive, and Salesforce.
  • Currently the most impersonated brands include Microsoft, Docusign, Adobe, Paypal, and LinkedIn. 

For full details, see below release. The Phishing Threat Trends Report, Vol 5 is available for download here

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