AI Makes Phishing Scams Harder to Identify in the Workplace

"The report's findings suggest phishing risk is about more than awareness alone. Even when employees know they should slow down and verify unusual requests, many operate in environments defined by urgency, multitasking and after-hours responsiveness. As suspicious messages become more polished and harder to distinguish from routine work communication, employers may need to complement training with changes that reduce rushed decision-making in daily workflows."

"The report found that 72% say phishing attempts are more convincing than a year ago because of AI-written language. In addition, 64% say an AI-generated message could likely impersonate someone they work with, and 57% say AI makes phishing harder to spot because it feels more professional."

"According to the report, 63% clicked a work-related link in the past year and later felt they should have double-checked it first. In addition, 57% have verified a message's request only after taking action first. Forty-five percent replied to a work message and later questioned whether it was legitimate."

"The report found that 68% check work email or chat outside normal business hours at least sometimes, and 56% feel pressure to respond after hours at least sometimes."

AI-enhanced phishing makes fraudulent messages harder to distinguish from routine work communication. Many employees click links or reply to messages and only later realize they should have verified them. A large share report that phishing feels more convincing than before due to AI-written language, and many believe AI could impersonate coworkers and make scams feel more professional. Workplace conditions such as urgency, multitasking, and expectations to respond after hours increase the likelihood of acting before verification. Employees often check messages outside normal business hours and feel pressure to respond, contributing to delayed recognition and higher risk of successful phishing.

Read at Securitymagazine