Adaptive Security

## Why is SMS phishing a growing security risk?

SMS phishing is becoming more prevalent for several reasons. First, widespread availability of SMS-sending tools and APIs means attackers can send masses of text messages cheaply and easily across the globe – the barrier to entry is low. Second, many people inherently trust text messages more than emails; there's less awareness and suspicion of SMS, so attackers exploit that – they know a well-crafted text can slip past skepticism that an email might trigger. Third, AI tools now allow attackers to personalize and automate convincing SMS content at scale, making their lures more effective (they can avoid the broken English and generic wording that gave away old scams). Also, organizations often lack strong filters on SMS compared to email (no spam folder on your phone's SMS app), so the messages go straight to the target and usually trigger a notification. All of this has led cybercriminals to increasingly target mobile users with smishing attacks – and unfortunately, many individuals aren't as well trained to spot a fraudulent text, making smishing a highly successful attack vector currently.