Microsoft Observed 7.6 Billion Phishing Emails in Q2 2026

Microsoft's Q2 2026 email threat landscape report finds phishing remains the top initial-access vector with ~7.6 billion email-based phishing threats in the quarter (monthly volumes ~2.4–2.7 billion). The report documents a high-volume BEC campaign on June 1 that used automation to reach more than 67,000 users across 42,000+ U.S. organizations in under three hours, targeting multiple industries and using sequential lures (aging report/customer contacts followed by payroll diversion impersonating executives). It also warns of growing Microsoft Teams–based phishing that bypasses secure email gateways and leverages the trust of colleague-initiated chats.