Phishing attacks using calendar invitations increase by 49 percent

Cybersecurity threats are evolving through new tactics designed to bypass traditional email security measures. One rising method involves using calendar invitations to launch phishing attacks. This vector has reportedly increased by 49 percent over the last six months.

Attackers exploit the inherent trust users place in collaboration platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Calendar. Because many systems are configured to automatically add invitations to a user's calendar, malicious .ics files can populate a schedule even if the original email is filtered out or remains unopened.

These campaigns often utilize a tactic known as ‘end-of-day-blur,’ where attacks are timed to coincide with periods of high cognitive load, such as after lunch, to increase the likelihood of success.