Cybercriminals are increasingly zeroing in on HR departments, exploiting their trusted role within organizations to steal sensitive employee and company data. These attacks often arrive in the form of phishing emails disguised as legitimate HR communications, making them especially dangerous.
Instead of the usual suspicious-looking scams, these emails mimic everyday HR processes—vacation requests, W-4 updates, or performance reviews—subjects that employees are used to seeing. Because of this familiarity, research shows employees are more likely to interact with them, with nearly one in three users clicking on suspicious links.
One tactic gaining traction is “quishing,” or QR code phishing. In these cases, the email includes a QR code that, once scanned, directs the user to a fake website designed to steal login credentials or financial details. The blend of familiarity, urgency, and clever disguise makes HR impersonation phishing one of the most effective attack methods today.
KnowBe4, a leading cybersecurity awareness training company, recently analyzed attacks from 2025 and identified four major phishing trends HR and business leaders should watch:
Changes to Payroll and Benefits
Cybercriminals send emails claiming updates to an employee’s salary or benefits elections. These are often customized with the recipient’s name, company logo, and financial details to look legitimate. The goal: to trick employees into sharing sensitive information.
HR Policy Updates
Attackers exploit urgency by requesting employees to review and acknowledge fabricated policy changes. By adding tight deadlines and threatening consequences, they push recipients to act quickly without verifying the legitimacy of the request.
401k Updates
Financial security is top of mind for most employees, which makes 401k updates a prime target. These phishing emails often resemble automated alerts, complete with fake tracking numbers and system-generated templates, and may carry malicious attachments to bypass security filters.
Electronic Contracts and Financial Documentation
This approach involves fake contracts or business documents that appear to come from HR or legal departments. With forged signatures, disclaimers, and even the company’s name in the subject line, they closely resemble authentic automated emails.
As phishing tactics become more sophisticated, HR departments must stay vigilant to reduce cybersecurity risk. Employee education, regular phishing simulations, and clear reporting procedures are essential to building a culture of security awareness. By recognizing these deceptive trends, businesses can protect both their workforce and their sensitive data from falling into the wrong hands.
