Spear Phishing

Category: business

A hyper-targeted phishing attack that customizes communication content to a specific individual or role.

Unlike generic spam emails, spear phishing researches the target profile via open-source intelligence tracking. An email might mimic a message from the company CEO or a specific software vendor, attaching malicious payload macro files designed to bypass baseline spam filters.

Common Examples

• The accounting manager was targeted by a spear phishing email that perfectly replicated a standard regional tax audit notification letter.
• Routine corporate simulation exercises help train associates to recognize the psychological triggers utilized in spear phishing lines.