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Home / Glossary / Spear phishing
Glossary · Security

Spear phishing

In plain language

A phishing message written for one person or business, using real details about them.

The metaphor

Like a letter that uses your name, your supplier's name and last week's order number: it looks as if it could only come from someone who knows you.

Going deeper

How it works

  • The attacker researches the target on LinkedIn, the website and old breaches.
  • The message mentions real names, projects and amounts.
  • Whaling is the same idea aimed at owners and executives.
  • Generic filters miss it, so the habit of confirming matters.

How WILDCARD handles it

Email Security filters impersonation attempts, and Phishing Training builds the habit of verifying unusual requests.

In practice
  • An email mentions the owner's real accountant and a real invoice number.
  • A message appears to continue a real thread with a supplier.
  • An email from 'HR' mentions an employee's actual start date.

A question owners ask

Why would anyone target a small business? Small businesses pay invoices, hold client data and have fewer checks. The attacker needs only one believable email.

Where WILDCARD handles this
Email
Security
  • Real-time email filtering
  • Phishing and impersonation caught
  • External senders flagged
Start with Email SecurityMeet Email Security →
Phishing
Training
  • Monthly phishing simulations
  • Quarterly self-paced training
  • Monthly reporting
Start with Phishing TrainingMeet Phishing Training →
Related terms
AIArtificial IntelligenceBECBusiness Email CompromiseCyber insuranceDeepfakeDKIMDomainKeys Identified MailDMARCDomain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and ConformanceDomain reputationEmail authentication

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