KnowBe4 Report: Phishing Susceptibility Drops 79% After Year of Training
Event summary
- KnowBe4's 2026 Phishing by Industry Benchmarking Report analyzed 42 million phishing simulations across 14.8 million users at 64,000 organizations worldwide.
- Global average Phish-prone Percentage (PPP) dropped from 33.2% to 4.2% after one year of security awareness training.
- Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals (42.7%), Insurance (38.1%), and Retail & Wholesale (36%) were the most vulnerable industries at baseline.
- Africa recorded the highest baseline risk at 35.9%, while Asia had the lowest at 24.9%.
- Phishing attacks spiked by 17% since late 2025, driven by AI-powered personalized campaigns.
The big picture
KnowBe4's findings highlight the critical role of ongoing security training in mitigating phishing risks amid an evolving threat landscape. As cybercriminals leverage AI to create more sophisticated attacks, organizations must prioritize continuous employee education to reduce susceptibility. The report underscores the importance of proactive defense strategies in an era where both human and AI agents are potential targets.
What we're watching
- AI-Driven Threats
- How the rise of AI-powered phishing campaigns will challenge traditional security measures.
- Training Effectiveness
- Whether continuous personalized training can sustain low phishing susceptibility rates long-term.
- Industry Vulnerability
- The pace at which high-risk industries like Healthcare and Insurance adopt advanced security awareness programs.
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