Press release · November 12, 2026 · globenewswire.com
Proofpoint, Inc. reports faster phishing growth in Europe
- About Proofpoint
- Also names Threat Landscape
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Summary
Proofpoint, Inc. published research at Web Summit 2026 in Lisbon describing a shifting threat landscape in Europe, where phishing activity is rising and attackers increasingly target cloud and AI infrastructure.
Phishing detections in Europe rose 4.5 times year over year, compared with 1.5 times globally. Among European organisations targeted by precision cloud attacks, 64% showed evidence of successful compromise. European users clicked on 8.3 out of every 100 delivered threat messages, against 2.0 globally, figures the findings associate with the continued importance of the human layer in cybersecurity.
Targeted attacks use phishing and session hijacking to reach specific users and accounts, and the research describes them as more effective than broader brute-force attacks. Proofpoint identified more than 188,000 AI-enabled applications connected through authentication and OAuth frameworks. The share of European sensors affected by attacks on open-source AI technologies increased 4.6 times between consecutive 90-day periods.
Espionage activity also expanded. South Asian threat actors extended their reach into Western Europe, while Russian and Chinese state-aligned groups continued to evolve their techniques. Malware accounted for 21% of detected threats in European hospitality and leisure organisations, nearly twice the global rate. Callback phishing targeting European healthcare rose 257% year over year, and malware increased 84%.
“Europe’s threat landscape is changing quickly. Phishing and identity-based attacks remain among the most significant risks, but attackers are also expanding to focus on emerging AI infrastructure,” said Ryan Kalember, CSO, Proofpoint. “What’s particularly concerning is the growing volume and sophistication of these attacks,” said Kalember.
Securing interactions among people, data, and AI is a focus as organisations accelerate AI adoption, according to the findings.
Our summary. The original keeps its own byline.