Proofpoint's latest reporting argues that generative AI is erasing the behavioral tells that once made malicious email stand out. In the past, phishing messages often betrayed themselves through clumsy wording, generic pretexts, and reused templates.
Now those same messages arrive fluent, personalized, and unique to each recipient. The behavioral signals that email filters have relied on are disappearing, leaving behavior-only detection increasingly weak.
The implication is that defenders need to look beyond surface-level behavior. Proofpoint's findings point toward a shift in detection strategy, though the report does not detail exactly what should replace it.