Digital Security Awareness - Spear Phishing: A Customized Cyber Threat Targeting Key Individuals

Spear Phishing: A More Sophisticated Form of Phishing

Cyber criminals are becoming more sophisticated and so are their attacks. A more sophisticated form of phishing is called spear phishing.

What is spear phishing?

Spear phishing is a targeted scam where the attacker customizes the message to a specific individual or organization. The goal is the same as phishing — to steal sensitive details or install malware — but spear phishing is more difficult to detect because the emails contain personalized details that make them appear more legitimate. Threat actors target key individuals within an organization, such as IT staff, because they have elevated privileges.

How it works

The attacker researches the target, gathering information from social media (such as LinkedIn), company websites, or even leaked data.
Targeted communications are crafted addressing victims by name, referring to specific projects, or appearing to come from a trusted colleague.
The attacker uses these messages to manipulate the victim into divulging sensitive data or installing malicious software on their device.

Example: an attacker calls an IT employee, posing as a senior manager. They claim to be locked out of a critical system and urgently request administrative access to resolve a high-priority issue. The attacker uses insider terminology to appear credible and pressures the employee to act quickly.

Example: a scammer impersonates a vendor providing IT services to the company. They call an IT administrator, stating they need temporary access to the network to perform a scheduled system update. The attacker uses technical jargon and references recent company projects to build trust and gain administrator credentials.

Protecting your organization

Verify unexpected requests: verify emails, even those that originate from a trusted source, confirm the request by calling or messaging the person directly.

Be cautious with attachments: avoid unexpected attachments, verifying the sender and request are legitimate before downloading any file.

Don’t overshare on social media: attackers often use information from your social media profiles to make their spear phishing emails more convincing. Avoid sharing current job duty and titles on sites like LinkedIn unless you're actively searching for new work.

Use email security tools: most email services offer advanced filtering tools that help detect and block spear phishing attempts before they reach your employees.

Stay informed: regular training helps employees recognize and respond to spear phishing attempts more effectively.

Spear phishing is a sophisticated form of social engineering that can lead to credential theft and employee account takeover. Avoid falling victim by arming your organization with the knowledge and tools required to recognize spear phishing. Employee training and awareness significantly reduces the risk of successful attacks, transforming employees from potential vulnerabilities into a robust line of defense.

_{This follow-up post is part of a blog series I'm writing called Digital Security Awareness for Non-Technical Professionals.}