Whaling is a type of cyber attack primarily targeting high-level executives and other privileged users within an organization. Advanced whaling techniques are used to acquire sensitive information such as banking details, passwords, and social security numbers, putting the business’s security and its customers’ personal information at risk.
The term whaling comes from the method’s similarity to the process of hunting whales. In both cases, the targets— executives for whaling and whales for whaling— are often far more important to their respective operations than commoners, making them an attractive target for malicious actors.
This type of attack is often narrowly focused and highly customized to the targeted users. The attacker will typically gain access to the target’s accounts and devices by sending out phishing emails or utilizing social engineering tactics. These emails are designed to resemble legitimate messages, but are actually malicious in nature. Additionally, the attacker may also employ malware on the target’s device in order to gain system access.
Whaling attacks can have significant consequences, ranging from identity theft to financial losses. Companies can take proactive steps to protect themselves against such threats, including using strong passwords, educating users about recognizing phishing attempts, and configuring email filters to automatically delete suspicious emails. Additionally, employing a risk management framework can also help mitigate the risks posed by these types of attacks.
