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By Author: jeff jerry
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Spear Phishing:-
In general, spear phishing is a scam to fool the recipient into disclosing confidential information to the scammer, such as the account credentials. This attack uses the links and attachments to make the recipient download the malware unknowingly to let the attackers get the user's computer systems access and other confidential information. The main difference between spear Phishing and generic phishing lies in its targeted nature.

Spear phishing messages are mostly personalized based on the public information the attacker has got on the recipient. It also includes information regarding the recipient's expertise, organizational role, interests, public and residential tax information, and any other information that an attacker can get from social media.

Such details in the message make it appear more legitimate and boost the chances of the recipient clicking links or downloading the attachments.

Spear Phishing Examples:-
Following is an example of a phishing attack message. ...
...

This year, Wade, we have found you love early reds, so it is suggested to visit Domaine Maleficent, which Bob also loves. They have an e-store, so check it out.

It is a highly effective spear phishing example if public information shows that he loves wine and his friend Bob also loves wine. A Facebook connection is from where the email originates through a spoofed email.

The above email is specially customized to the interests and personalities of the targeted victims. Standard phishing differs from spear phishing due to this customization. Due to this differentiation, spear phishing takes more time for the attacker and is highly effective.

The example mentioned above of a spear-phishing attack allows you to train users and identify the attack. If your organization is too small, it is still threatened by a phishing attack. Attackers know that small businesses have few resources for cyber security compared to the larger ones, making the smaller businesses a target again. So any business can be the target of whaling and phishing.

In phishing attacks, the mass of the most well-known businesses is often used to boost the attack's success. Mostly the names of Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and PayPal are used in it. It is because the users get a sense of trust when they hear the names of these brands, having millions of customers that can be fooled into clicking links in the email.

Some phishing attacks use the names of Google and Microsoft to make users send money to the attacker's bank account. Such emails mention that the user won money from Google or Microsoft, and the targeted user must pay a small fee for the mailing cost to get their cash prize. Gmail filters such messages effectively, but some users find them in their spam inbox and respond to them. Such messages should never reach the intended recipient in a business environment and must be quarantined instead of landing in the spam inbox.

Spear Phishing Strategies:-
The attacker sends the email pretending to be a customer and complaints about the recent purchase. They also send the link to a website that seems like the official page where the target is asked to authenticate.
A message that informs you that your bank account is compromised and makes you visit a page for your authentication.
The attacker claims to be from a legitimate vendor stating that your account will expire and the recipient clicks a link and authenticates.
Donate and send money to a particular group that shows that you are a target of spear phishing.
Before paying the invoices always validate them. The attackers use the actual vendor with fake vendors to track the organizations.

Prevention Strategies:-
Search for email protection solutions that detect suspicious emails by using analytics. Dynamic Malware analysis performs the analysis of the destination website for spiteful behavior. These stimulate the existing user system to fight against the evasive techniques built into the malware. The malware is driven to reveal itself in a sandboxed environment.

Security awareness training programs play a critical role in defending against spear phishing. Osterman Research stated that most security decision-makers surveyed a blend of security awareness training and tech-based solutions. However, the support differs based on the particular type of threat. 37% of people surveyed mentioned that the ultimate solution to spear phishing is training and improved tech. 44% of the respondents mentioned that training is also equally important.

Regardless of the mix, adopting a people-centered security posture is crucial. Attackers do not view the world in terms of a network diagram. Get a solution that allows you to track who is being attacked, how they are being attacked, and whether they clicked. Each user represents a risk that should be considered, including how they are targeted, access to what type of data, and if they tend to fall prey to the attacks.
Users should be trained to spot and report malicious emails. Training must be done regularly, and simulated phishing attacks can stop many attacks and aid in the identification of particularly vulnerable people. Simulations that are perfect copy the real-world attack method. Search the solutions that consolidate the present trends and the current threat intelligence.

But don't forget the scenarios where the user will eventually click some threats. Consider such scenarios as attackers always look for new ways to exploit human nature. So it is better to look for solutions that spot and block the inbound email threats targeting employees before they reach the inbox. Also, look out for outside threats that use your domain to target customers and partners in spear-phishing attacks.
Some other methods you can use to protect yourself from spear phishing include:-

Set up the DMARC rules on the email for the administrators on the email server to prevent phishing messages from sticking out to the intended recipients.
Verify any message that asks for financial transactions, even if the sender seems like a legit employee or vendor.
In an email message, don't click links. Alternatively, type the domain into the browser and verify it from the official website.
Pay special attention to any message that asks you to respond and financial transactions are urgent to keep the account active.
Employees should be trained to find the signs of a phishing attack and inform the administration if any suspicious message is received.
Verify that the message is from a legitimate sender even after getting a phone call. In spear phishing and whaling social engineering is mostly utilized.
Prepare and educate the users to never provide the credentials on the phone calls. Within the organization, the network administrator should never ask for the passwords of any employee.