This year the focus of the European Cybersecurity Month is firmly on phishing – the most widespread and damaging method cybercriminals use to break into systems. The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), together with the European Commission, has launched a large-scale awareness initiative under the slogan #THINKB4UCLICK. The campaign urges everyone – citizens, employees, and leaders alike – to pause and think before clicking on links, opening attachments, or responding to digital messages.
According to ENISA, phishing is responsible for nearly 60 percent of all initial intrusions in cyberattacks across Europe. What makes today’s landscape even more dangerous is the rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI). By early 2025, more than 80 percent of social engineering attacks were AI-generated or AI-assisted. This shift has made phishing attempts more polished, personalized, and convincing than ever before. Now, AI allows threat actors to mimic writing styles, clone voices, generate deepfake videos, and scale their operations effortlessly.
The campaign highlights that phishing is no longer limited to suspicious emails. It now appears through text messages (smishing), phone calls (vishing), QR codes (quishing), highly targeted spearphishing, executive-targeted whaling, sophisticated business email compromise schemes, and AI-driven deepfake scams. Cybercriminals exploit every communication channel people rely on, making constant vigilance essential.
Learn more by visiting ENISA’s official campaign page at: https://www.enisa.europa.eu/news/off-the-hook-dont-be-phished-this-cybersecurity-month