• KnowBe4's Phishing Threat Trends Report Vol. 8 found phishing volume rose 29.8% year over year as attackers shifted toward targeted campaigns.
• Spear phishing increased 41.1%; pre-attack scouting rose 33.7%.
• Attacks were twice as likely to originate from legitimate infrastructure in Q3 2026 versus Q2 2026, with AI platforms increasingly exploited.
• Toolkit-driven phishing grew 54%, accounting for 29.2% of inbound malicious email.
• Business email compromise represented 51.2% of phishing types, with HR, finance and executive leadership the most targeted departments.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. KnowBe4 Inc. published the original content used to generate this news brief on October 29, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.