Scams and social engineering
AI phishing and impersonation: why the old tells fail
Phishing was already the biggest everyday threat to UK organisations. AI makes the messages cheaper to produce and harder to judge by eye, so the defence has to be process rather than instinct.
Last reviewed against NCSC (UK), Anthropic and UK Government (DSIT and Home Office). Sources
The baseline
Phishing before AI
The 2025/2026 government survey ranks phishing first among attack types, at 38% of businesses and 25% of charities [6]. It was also named the most disruptive by 69% of those that had a breach or attack [6]. The Register's report on the survey said about 85% of businesses that reported a breach or attack said it involved phishing [7]. The two figures measure different groups, so quote each one with its source and do not set them side by side as if they were the same measure.
What AI changes
Three effects to plan for
Polish at scale
The NCSC expects AI to keep making parts of an intrusion quicker and more effective [1]. For inboxes, the practical result is that spelling and tone stop being useful signals.
Wider access
The NCSC expects AI-enabled cyber tools to put intrusion within reach of more people [1].
Voice and video
Synthetic voices and images were used in the Arup fraud [8]. See deepfake video call fraud for how that worked.
Controls
What holds up
The survey does not test which controls stop phishing that uses these tools, so these are process measures rather than measured results. Choose the ones that fit your organisation:
- A second-channel check for any request involving money, credentials or data
- One obvious button or address to report a suspicious message
- A clear statement from leaders that pausing a request is welcome
- Limits on what a single approver can release alone
Next: the defence plan.
Why process beats instinct
At Arup, the faces and voices on the call were what overcame the employee's early doubts [8]. A check that does not depend on spotting a fake still works when the fake is good.
Keep reading
Read next
Deepfake fraud
How a deepfake video call led to HK$200m being sent to criminals at Arup, what Arup said, and the checks that would have put a stop in the way.
Read the guide
AI intrusion
What Anthropic reported about an AI-run espionage campaign, what the NCSC expects to 2027, and what UK organisations should take from both.
Read the guide
Prompt injection
Why the NCSC says prompt injection may never be fully mitigated, and the four design measures UK teams can use to limit its impact.
Read the guideHow CyPro can help
Need a hand with any of this?
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Know your exposure
Not sure you are protected?
Many of the risks here sit in how an organisation uses AI: what tools staff run, what they can reach and who owns the risk. AI governance work sets that out so controls match the tools in use.