Spear phishing

Spear phishing is an email-based attack technique used by criminals to gain sensitive information such as passwords and credit card details from unsuspecting victims. It is a form of social engineering, where an email is sent from an attacker to a target, usually pretending to be from a legitimate authority figure or business. The email contains information that is designed to lure the target into divulging confidential information or clicking a malicious link.

Spear phishing emails typically appear similar to legitimate messages from familiar sources, and often contain address spoofing to make the message appear legitimate. This type of phishing is more sophisticated than traditional methods, and generally requires the attacker to have specific information about the target.

In order to protect against spear phishing attacks, users should be cautious when opening emails, especially those that contain links or attachments. It is also important to have adequate anti-virus and anti-malware software installed, and ensure that regular security updates are installed. Additionally, users should be aware of potential phishing scams and be sure to only communicate via secure networks.