Phishing / Spear Phishing

Phishing is a form of cybercrime in which attackers attempt to obtain sensitive information—such as login credentials, credit card numbers, or personal data—through deception. This typically involves fake emails, websites, or messages that appear trustworthy and are designed to trick recipients into taking certain actions, such as clicking on a link or entering login information.

Spear phishing is a more sophisticated variant that targets specific individuals or organizations. Unlike traditional, broadly distributed phishing attacks, spear phishing is based on carefully researched information about the target. As a result, the messages appear more personal and convincing—often referencing internal projects, known business partners, or individual roles within the organization.

Both methods pose significant threats: they can lead to data breaches, financial loss, reputational damage, or the infiltration of malware. They are also frequently used as entry points for further attacks such as ransomware or business email compromise (BEC).

Protective measures include:

·        Technical filters (spam filters, link scanning, sandboxing)

·        Employee awareness and training programs

·        Implementation of multi-factor authentication

·        Monitoring of unusual access attempts

Since human behavior is often the weakest link, regular awareness training is a critical factor in defending against phishing attacks. Only a combination of technology, processes, and informed users can effectively reduce the risk.