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Phishing and social engineering incidents

Definition

Phishing and social engineering incidents document people being tricked into handing over credentials, personal data or payments, by email, phone, text message or impersonation.

Included

  • Phishing emails that compromised an account holding personal data
  • Phone or help-desk impersonation that led to account or data access
  • Business email compromise that exposed personal data
  • Fraudulent requests that persuaded staff to send personal data

Excluded

  • Scams aimed at individuals with no breach at an organization
  • Phishing attempts that were stopped before any data was reached
Phishing and social engineering incidents over time
Documented incidents per year of occurrence. 2026 to date.
Unit: incidents · Source: Data Incident Index v2026.09 · Counts reflect documented incidents, not prevalence · *2026 to date

Incident records21

Nov 2026Nine health systems affected by AI company data breachReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.netbeckershospitalreview.comocrportal.hhs.govOct 2026Covered California Agent Data Exposed In Phishing AttackReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.netoag.ca.govbenefitspro.com+1Aug 2026Mon General Hospital notifies patients of phishing attack and breachReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.netwdtv.comAug 2026AU: GO2 Health medical clinic in Brisbane waited almost three months to alert patients it was hackedReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.netabc.net.auAug 202518 Arrested as Gurugram Call Centre Data Leak Fuels Massive SBI Credit Card ScamReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.netthe420.inAug 2025Cisco discloses data breach impacting Cisco.com user accountsReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.netbleepingcomputer.comJun 2025Marquette County Medical Care Facility discloses data breachReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.netprnewswire.comMay 2025“SCAM” is a four-letter word: BreachForums edition (1)ReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.netzerofox.comdarkforums.stApr 2025HHS Office for Civil Rights Settles Phishing Attack Breach with Health Care Network for $600,000ReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.netakaprod-www.hhs.govhhs.govDec 2024KY: Personal data of Boone, Kenton County students breached, school officials sayReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.netwcpo.comNov 2024JP: Yakuza Helpline Leak Sparks Fears for Victim SafetyReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.neten.wikipedia.orgvpnranks.com+1Oct 2024ESET partner breached to send data wipers to Israeli orgsReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.netbleepingcomputer.comOct 2024Payroll-related cyberattack led to breach of Mass. state workers’ information, comptroller saysReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.netboston25news.comSep 2024Atrium apologizes after employees fall for phishing attack; patient info may have been exposedReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.netcharlotteobserver.comatriumhealth.orgAug 2024Malaysia introduces data breach notification system to combat scamsReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.netthemalaysianreserve.comJan 2024Four-in-ten employees sacked over email security breaches as firms tackle “truly staggering” increase in attacksReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.netitpro.compages.egress.comOct 2023D-Link confirms data breach after employee phishing attackReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.netbleepingcomputer.comOct 2023Oklahoma City University data breach lawsuit dismissedReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.nettopclassactions.comOct 2023Colonial Pipeline was hacked. No, wait, Accenture was hacked. No, wait….. untangling claims. (2)ReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.netlinkedin.comSep 2023Broomfield Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center settles breach-related charges with Colorado Attorney GeneralReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.netcoag.govJul 2023Henry Ford Health confirms data breach affecting 168,000 patientsReportedPhishing and social engineeringDataBreaches.netclickondetroit.com
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