COUNTERINTELLIGENCE TIPS
A spear phishing attack is an attempt to acquire sensitive information or access to a
computer system by sending counterfeit messages that appear to be legitimate. “Spear
phishing” is a type of phishing campaign that targets a specific person or group and often
will include information known to be of interest to the target, such as current events or
financial documents. Like other social engineering attacks, spear phishing takes advantage
of our most basic human traits, such as a desire to be helpful, provide a positive response
to those in authority, a desire to respond positively to someone who shares similar tastes
or views, or simple curiosity about contemporary news and events. These messages are
delivered via e-mail and are designed to convince the user to open a malicious link or
attachment, exposing the target to malicious software.
The goal of spear phishing is to acquire sensitive information such as usernames,
passwords, and other personal information. When a link in a phishing e-mail is opened,
it may open a malicious site, which could download unwanted information onto a user’s
computer. When the user opens an attachment, malicious software may run which could
compromise the security posture of the host. Once a connection is established, the
attacker is able to initiate actions that could compromise the integrity of your computer,
the network it resides on, and data.
PHISHING IS NO LONGER AS
OBVIOUS AS IT ONCE WAS
SPEAR PHISHING AND
COMMON CYBER ATTACKS
