Phishing and Why It’s Still the #1 Threat to You

You’re rushing through emails on a Tuesday morning when one catches your eye.

It looks routine, a message from your “IT team” saying your password is about to expire. There’s a link. It’s branded correctly. The tone sounds right. You click it without thinking because you’ve done this before.

That’s how most phishing attacks work.

phishing email from IT department

Not through obvious red flags or sloppy grammar, but through moments that feel familiar, urgent, and easy to overlook. And despite stronger cybersecurity tools, better training, and more awareness than ever before, phishing remains the most successful attack method used today.

The reason is simple: technology has improved, but attackers have adapted right alongside it.

Over the past several years, organizations have made meaningful progress. Security awareness training is more common. Email filters are more advanced. AI-powered tools now scan inboxes, block malicious links, and flag suspicious behavior before users ever see it. These efforts have helped close the gap between where organizations started and where they need to be.

But phishing continues to succeed because it targets a vulnerability that technology can’t fully eradicate, human behavior.

phishing attempt on worker

Today’s phishing emails no longer look like the poorly written messages people were once trained to spot. Attackers now use AI to generate convincing language, mirror real corporate communication styles, and tailor messages to specific roles within an organization. A message sent to finance looks different from one sent to HR. A message sent to leadership looks different from one sent to an intern.

In many cases, the email itself isn’t the giveaway. The timing is.

Attackers intentionally strike when people are busy, distracted, or operating on autopilot. They rely on familiarity, the assumption that a regular routine request doesn’t need a second look. Then when just one person clicks, the consequences can escalate quickly, leading to credential theft, unauthorized access, or broader compromise.

This is why phishing remains such a persistent threat, even in environments with strong technical controls.

Security tools can block a large percentage of malicious emails, but no filter is perfect. Training helps users recognize warning signs, but real-world situations don’t always present obvious ones. That gap between knowing what to look for and reacting in the moment is where phishing thrives.

bad actor and phishing email

The most effective defense against phishing isn’t a single tool or policy. It’s a layered approach that combines technical safeguards, ongoing awareness, and a culture where people feel empowered to pause, question, and verify before acting.

Phishing isn’t successful because people are careless. It’s successful because it’s designed to feel normal. And if attackers continue to exploit that normalcy, phishing will remain the number one threat organizations face today.

About the Author

This blog article was written by Sarah Rumph, a Cybersecurity Intern at Runtime Cyber Defense, focusing on security awareness and emerging threats.