KnowBe4 Blog

Social Engineering

Latest social engineering news, analysis, tactics the bad guys are using and what you can do to defend your organization.

New AI-Driven Phishing Platform Automates Attack Campaigns

Researchers at Varonis warn of a new phishing automation platform called “SpamGPT” that “combines the power of generative AI with a full suite of email campaign tools.”

Report: Cybercriminals are Hiring Social Engineering Talent

ReliaQuest has published a report on the cybercriminal recruitment ecosystem, finding that fluent English speakers with social engineering skills are highly sought-after.

Threat Actors Are Increasingly Abusing Generative AI Tools for Phishing

Cybercriminals are increasingly abusing AI-assisted website generators to quickly craft convincing phishing sites, according to researchers at Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42.

Free Gift Scams: The Technical Tricks Used to Evade Detection

Below is an example of a sophisticated survey scam phishing email that KnowBe4’s Threat Lab team has been monitoring as discussed in “The Hidden Cost of "Free" Gifts: How Survey Scams Are ...

Survey Scams Evolve to Steal Financial Data via 'Free' Gifts

You've probably seen them: enticing online offers for free products from brands you trust, like a Yeti beach chair from Costco or an emergency car kit from AAA.

Warning: Social Engineering is a Growing Threat to the Industrial Sector

Social engineering attacks are a growing threat to operational technology (OT) environments, Industrial Cyber reports.

Beyond the Inbox: How Old-School Mail Scams Are Still Stealing Your Money

In a world so full of digital online scams, it’s hard to remember that scammers abuse our postal mailing systems as well.

Alert: Tech Support Scammers Send Phony Podcast Invites

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has warned that scammers are targeting high-profile employees and influencers with fake invitations to appear as a guest on popular celebrity podcasts.

Anatomy of a Vishing Scam

I hear about a ton of similar-sounding scam calls, where the scammer is pretending to be from a service you use (or used), offering you a substantial monthly discount (30% or more) if you ...

Social Engineering Attacks Surged in the First Half of 2025

Cybersecurity incidents nearly tripled in the first half of 2025, jumping from 6% in the second half of 2024 to 17% in 2025, according to a new report from LevelBlue.