Anyone can be targeted with a phishing attack, but some types of phishing are done to very specific people. Some threat actors will send out a general email to many people, hoping a few will take the bait based on a common trait. An example would be saying something is wrong with your Facebook or Amazon account, and you need to click this link right away to log in and fix it. The link would likely lead to a spoofed webpage where you might give away your login credentials.
Threat actors use more targeted phishing attacks if they are after something specific, like access to a certain company's network or data, or information from a politician or political candidate. This is called spear phishing. In this case, they may research information to make their attack sound familiar and credible, so the target is more likely to click a link or provide information. An example would be researching the name and communication style of a target company's CEO, then emailing or texting specific employees at that company pretending to be the CEO asking for something.
While threat actors often pretend to be CEOs in their phishing attacks, sometimes the target is the CEO themself. "Whale phishing" describes phishing attacks toward high-profile people like company executives, celebrities, or well-known wealthy individuals. Whether an attack is general or highly targeted, sent to one person or many people, anyone can become a phishing target, so it's important to
Threat actors use more targeted phishing attacks if they are after something specific, like access to a certain company's network or data, or information from a politician or political candidate. This is called spear phishing. In this case, they may research information to make their attack sound familiar and credible, so the target is more likely to click a link or provide information. An example would be researching the name and communication style of a target company's CEO, then emailing or texting specific employees at that company pretending to be the CEO asking for something.
While threat actors often pretend to be CEOs in their phishing attacks, sometimes the target is the CEO themself. "Whale phishing" describes phishing attacks toward high-profile people like company executives, celebrities, or well-known wealthy individuals. Whether an attack is general or highly targeted, sent to one person or many people, anyone can become a phishing target, so it's important to