Updated: November 7, 2025

Phishing remains the most common cyberattack. In 2026, scammers use AI to create perfect fakes. Let’s understand how to protect yourself.

How Phishing Works

Basic Scheme

Bait: email, SMS, messenger message
Urgency: “Your account is locked”, “Confirm your data”
Fake site: copy of the real one, but different address
Data collection: victim enters login, password, card details
Exploitation: scammer gains account access

Phishing Evolution

Generation	Characteristics	Detection
2010s	Errors, poor design	Easy
2020s	Quality copies	Medium
2026	AI-generated, personalized	Hard

Types of Phishing in 2026

Email Phishing

Classic: emails from “banks”, “government services”, “stores”. AI writes grammatically correct texts, personalizes the approach.

Example:

From: support@chase-secure.com
Subject: Identity verification required to maintain access

Dear John Smith,

As part of our security system update, you need to
verify your data by January 25. Otherwise, access
to online banking will be restricted.

[Verify Data]

Red flags:

Domain chase-secure.com instead of chase.com
Urgency and restriction threat
Link doesn’t lead to official site

Smishing (SMS Phishing)

Short messages with links: “Your package is delayed”, “You’ve earned cashback”.

Example:

USPS: Package #9374521 awaits address
confirmation. Confirm: usps-delivery.info/track

Red flags:

Domain usps-delivery.info instead of usps.com
Unexpected message
Demand for immediate action

Vishing (Voice Phishing)

Calls from “bank security”, “police”, “tech support”. In 2026, deepfake voices are used.

Scenarios:

“Someone is trying to withdraw money from your card”
“A loan is being taken out in your name”
“Your computer is infected”

Spear Phishing

Targeted attack on a specific person. Scammers study social media, work information, create personalized messages.

Features:

Mentions real colleagues, projects
Relevant context
Highly convincing

QR Phishing

Fake QR codes in public places: on ATMs, in cafes, at bus stops. Lead to phishing sites.

Signs of Phishing

In Emails and Messages

Sign	How to Check
Strange sender address	Hover over name → real email
Domain errors	`amаzon.com` (Cyrillic “а”)
Urgency	”Immediately”, “within 24 hours”
Threats	”Account will be deleted”
Generic greeting	”Dear customer” instead of name
Suspicious attachments	.exe, .scr, password-protected .zip

On Websites

Sign	How to Check
Wrong domain	`chase.secure-login.com`
No HTTPS	Browser shows “Not secure”
Strange design	Different from original
Links don’t work	All lead to input form
Excessive data requests	CVV, PIN, security questions

During Calls

Demand SMS codes
Ask to install an app
Rush your decision
Threaten consequences
Can’t verify their identity

AI Phishing: New Threats

What AI Can Do

Text generation:

Perfect grammar in any language
Adapts to company style
Personalization based on victim’s data

Website creation:

Exact copies in minutes
Dynamic updates
Automatic translation

Deepfake:

Boss’s or relative’s voice
Video calls with fake face
Indistinguishable from reality

How to Protect Against AI Phishing

Don’t trust voice and video: call back on a known number
Code words: agree on a secret word with loved ones
Multi-factor verification: confirmation through different channels
Healthy skepticism: any urgency is suspicious

Protection Tools

Password Manager

Why it protects against phishing:

Won’t autofill password on fake site
Checks domain before filling
Unique passwords - one leak doesn’t compromise others

Recommendations: Bitwarden, 1Password, KeePassXC

Two-Factor Authentication

Even if scammer gets your password - can’t log in without second factor.

Important: SMS codes are vulnerable to SIM-swap attacks. Use apps (Google Authenticator, Authy) or hardware keys.

Anti-Phishing Browser Extensions

Check sites against known threat databases
Warn about suspicious domains
Block known phishing pages

DNS Filtering

Services like NextDNS, Cloudflare Gateway block requests to known phishing domains at DNS level.

What to Do During an Attack

If You Entered Data on a Phishing Site

Immediately:

Change password on the real site
Enable two-factor authentication
Check active sessions and terminate suspicious ones
If financial data - call your bank

If You Clicked a Link

Don’t enter any data
Close the tab
Clear browser history
Scan device with antivirus

If You Downloaded a File

Don’t open the file
Delete it
Scan system with antivirus
If opened - disconnect device from network

If Scammers Called

Hang up
Don’t call back their number
Call the organization using official number
Don’t install any apps

Protection Checklist

Technical Measures

Password manager installed and used
2FA enabled on important accounts
Antivirus and browser extensions up to date
DNS filtering configured

Habits

Check sender’s address
Don’t click links in emails
Open sites via bookmarks or manual typing
Never share SMS codes over phone

When Suspicious

Check domain in address bar
Search for sender information
Contact organization directly
Don’t rush or panic

Where to Report Phishing

Google: safebrowsing.google.com
Microsoft: microsoft.com/reportphishing
Bank: hotline or in-app chat
Police: if you suffered financial losses

Summary

Phishing is getting more sophisticated, but basic protection rules work: don’t rush, check addresses, use a password manager and two-factor authentication.

In the age of AI phishing, the main defense is critical thinking and the habit of verifying information through independent channels.

Tainet protects your connection, but phishing requires vigilance. Use VPN for traffic protection and common sense for protection against scammers.