AI Fuels Phishing Surge 1380% in 2026

Cybercriminals are increasingly leveraging phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) models, operating with the agility and innovation of tech startups. A notable operation, EvilTokens, has seen a dramatic surge in activity, with early 2026 reporting a 1,380% increase in phishing attacks compared to the same period in the previous year. This significant scaling is attributed to the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), enabling sophisticated, personalized attacks.

This AI-driven personalization ensures that no two phishing lures are identical, a capability previously confined to manual, targeted campaigns. EvilTokens makes this advanced functionality accessible through affordable subscription tiers, with prices ranging from $600 to $1,500. The service's effectiveness is further amplified by its ability to bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA), making it a potent tool for malicious actors.

The PhaaS market's maturation is evident in how services like EvilTokens are openly sold on platforms such as Telegram. This accessibility, coupled with powerful attack capabilities at a low cost, signals a new era in cybercrime, where sophisticated tools are readily available to a wider range of threat actors.