Bolster Report Reveals Surge in Phishing Attacks Leveraging AI and Multi-Channel Approaches

In a recent mid-year report, Bolster has highlighted a significant uptick in phishing attacks, driven largely by advancements in artificial intelligence and a shift towards multi-channel strategies. The “Phishing in Focus: 2024 Mid-Year Report” draws on data from Bolster’s CheckPhish service, providing a detailed overview of the evolving threat landscape from January to July 2024.

The report underscores the transformative impact of AI on phishing tactics. AI is enabling scammers to create more realistic and sophisticated attacks across various platforms, at unprecedented speed and scale. This development poses a growing threat to both individuals and businesses, particularly in a year marked by heightened political tensions and economic instability.

“We know the frequency of phishing attacks is increasing, as hackers utilize AI to execute more scams than ever before. In fact, phishing scams are being hosted in the U.S. at a rate of nearly double, compared to 2023. The trend is only accelerating. In May alone, we logged a daily average of more than 45K malicious phishing sites,” said Abhilash Garimella, vice president of Research at Bolster. “More troubling, our researchers identified packages of voter data stolen over the past decade, for sale on the dark web and used by threat actors to create fake identification cards, potentially leading to identity theft or voter fraud.”