Technology and Social Media Platforms Continue to Dominate Brand Phishing Attacks, Underscoring the Urgent Need for AI-Driven, Prevention-First Security
Johannesburg, South Africa, October 16 2025 – Check Point Research (CPR), the Threat Intelligence arm of Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP) and a pioneer and global leader of cyber security solutions, today released its Brand Phishing Report for Q3 2025.
The latest findings reveal a significant surge in brand impersonation attacks targeting users’ most trusted digital services, with Microsoft once again the most exploited brand, appearing in 40% of all phishing attempts worldwide – a significant rise that highlights attackers’ growing focus on widely used productivity platforms.
The dominance of familiar tech brands shows no sign of slowing. Google (9%) and Apple (6%) ranked second and third, respectively, and together, these three companies accounted for more than half of all phishing activity in the last quarter.
PayPal and DHL made notable re-entries into the global top 10 after a long absence, landing in 6th and 10th place, reflecting a widening attacker focus across digital payments and logistics services – critical vectors for both consumers and enterprises.
Omer Dembinsky, Data Research Manager at Check Point Software, commented, “Phishing is no longer just about misspelled emails or poorly designed login pages — it’s now AI-generated, hyper-personalised, and deeply deceptive.
The fact that 40% of phishing attempts now impersonate Microsoft, and that familiar brands like PayPal and DHL are making a comeback, shows how attackers are doubling down on the services and everyday tools that users trust most. Combating this next wave of phishing requires a prevention-first approach, combining AI-driven security tools with strong authentication and continuous user education.”
Top 10 Most Imitated Brands in Q3 2025
- Microsoft – 40%
- Google – 9%
- Apple – 6%
- Spotify – 4%
- Amazon – 3%
- PayPal – 3%
- Adobe – 3%
- Booking.com – 2%
- LinkedIn – 2%
- DHL – 2%
PayPal and DHL Make a Comeback as Cybercriminals Broaden Their Targets
After several quarters off the list, PayPal and DHL have re-entered the global top 10, ranking 6th and 10th, respectively.
Their return reflects cybercriminals’ growing focus on financial services and logistics platforms—domains where trust and urgency can be easily manipulated to maximise the success of phishing attempts.
Check Point researchers uncovered a fraudulent DHL website (dhl-login-check[.]org) that mirrored the courier’s official login page and tricked users into entering login and email credentials, phone numbers, and home addresses. For victims, the experience would appear routine, just another package-tracking sign-in, until their personal data was quietly harvested behind the scenes.
