This episode of Techsplainers explores phishing—the deceptive technique cybercriminals use to trick victims into revealing sensitive information or downloading malware through fraudulent communications. The podcast explains why phishing is the most common data breach vector, accounting for 16% of all breaches and costing organizations an average of USD 4.8 million. Listeners will discover various phishing methods, including bulk email phishing, targeted spear phishing, executive-focused whaling, business email compromise, SMS phishing (smishing), voice phishing (vishing), social media attacks, and QR code scams (quishing). The discussion highlights how generative AI has transformed phishing, enabling scammers to create more convincing messages in minutes instead of hours. The episode concludes with practical advice on spotting phishing red flags—like urgency tactics, unsolicited requests, poor grammar, and spoofed URLs—and implementing preventative measures, such as security awareness training, multi-factor authentication, and advanced threat detection tools.

Find more information at https://www.ibm.com/think/podcasts/techsplainers.

Narrated by Bryan Clark