Check Point 2026 brand phishing trends

In late July 2026, Check Point Research released its Q2 Brand Phishing Ranking, highlighting Microsoft as the most impersonated brand, responsible for roughly 23% of all phishing attempts. The same report noted the debut of OpenAI’s ChatGPT among the top ten impersonated brands, signaling a shift toward AI platforms as phishing vectors. Check Point also announced the launch of Ghana’s first Secure Academy, aimed at closing the nation’s cyber‑skills gap.

A week later, Check Point issued an updated ranking confirming Microsoft’s continued dominance with a 22.6% share, while LinkedIn, Google, Apple and Amazon filled the next spots. ChatGPT’s presence grew to 1.1% of phishing activity, making it the first AI service to breach the top‑ten list. Analysts stressed that attackers are now targeting generative‑AI tools as they become embedded in daily workflows, employing increasingly sophisticated scams such as fake ChatGPT Plus payment notices and counterfeit online stores.

Together, the snapshots illustrate a persistent focus on a small set of high‑profile brands in phishing campaigns, with the emergence of AI platforms like ChatGPT marking a new phase in attackers’ strategies, alongside Check Point’s broader efforts to strengthen cybersecurity capacity in Ghana.