What is spear phishing? Definition, recognition, and protection

What is spear phishing?

Threat actors often gather personal information about the recipient (name, email address, employment information, and interests) to craft a personalized and believable message. That’s why spear phishing emails may appear to come from a trusted colleague, friend, or institution, urging the victim to click on a link or provide personal information. If the victim fails to notice foul play and follows the attacker’s request, they fall right into the scammer’s trap, exposing personal information or (in some cases) even company data.

How does spear phishing work?

When it comes to understanding how spear phishing works, the process can be simplified to a few simple steps.

1. 1.Setting an objective. Before attacking, spear phishing scammers define their goal, such as performing data theft, stealing money, or infecting systems with malware.
2. 2.Choosing a target. Based on their goal, spear phishers pinpoint different targets. The targets can vary from low-level employees to government officials.
3. 3.Researching the target. Naturally, before launching the attack, scammers gather as much information about the target as possible. This can include the target’s personal details (such as their full name, email address, or workplace), interests, and even financial records.
4. 4.Crafting and sending the phishing message. After finishing reconnaissance, threat actors will come up with the phishing message that will attract the target’s attention and commence their attack.

How to spot a spear phishing email

Hackers use no one specific template for spear phishing messages to trick victims into giving away their private data or clicking on malicious links. So knowing the different methods bad actors use to ensure a successful spear phishing cyberattack is extremely important. Handle an email you’ve received with caution if it contains any of the following red flags:

• A sense of urgency. Phishers usually try to create a sense of urgency, guilt, or fear to trick you into taking action without stopping to think first. They may provoke you with such phrases as “immediate action required” or “account will be closed.”
• Suspicious email handles. Phishing emails mimic legitimate email addresses with slight changes to create a sense of legitimacy and reduce suspicion. However, upon closer inspection, you’re likely to find some minor discrepancy (such as missing or extra symbols or a different spelling than you’re used to) that can help you differentiate between a legit sender and a scammer.
• Spelling and grammar mistakes. Mistakes in spelling and grammar may alert you to a malicious email. However, attackers usually craft spear phishing scams meticulously to appear as convincing as possible.
• Dubious requests. Even if the email seems legitimate, it may include odd requests, specifically for sensitive information or money. If a service is asking you to provide sensitive information or funds via email, consider it a red flag for a phishing attack.
• Suspicious URLs. Sometimes spear phishing messages contain URLs, so check them carefully before clicking (for example, by using a link checker tool). And be wary of shortened links because they can lead to malicious sites.

How to report a spear phishing attempt

Reporting a spear phishing attempt is essential to protect yourself or your organization from further damage. Take the following steps if you suspect a spear phishing attempt:

• Contact the IT or security team if you’ve received a spear phishing email in your work email account. It will take action to protect the network and other employees.
• Report the sender to the email service provider. The most popular ones (Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook) have reporting mechanisms that improve internal spam filters and prevent similar messages from reaching other users.
• Many countries have specific government agencies responsible for cybercrimes. For example, if you’re from the US, contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the case of a spear phishing attack.
• If an attacker impersonates a specific company, let the company know. It should report the incident and inform its customers.

Spear phishing vs. phishing vs. whaling: Understanding the difference

The terms whaling and spear phishing suggest that they are related to phishing. And that’s exactly the case because both are different types of phishing attacks that share certain common characteristics (such as malicious links, messages with false sense of urgency, or altered email handles).

For more detail, let’s compare these cyber threats:

Examples of spear phishing attacks

If you want to learn more about malicious spear phishing tactics, skim through these examples:

• Cyberattacks on U.S. government agencies (2024). In October 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice seized 41 internet domains used by Russian intelligence agents for spear-phishing campaigns. These campaigns targeted U.S. government agencies, including the Pentagon and State Department. U.S. government officials believed such efforts were part of a broader strategy to infiltrate and extract sensitive information from governmental networks.
• Spear phishing attack on Twilio employees (2022). In August 2022, a cloud-based communication company suffered a spear phishing attack targeted at its employees. Phishers used fake SMS text messages that mimicked the company’s IT department. The messages claimed the employees’ passwords had expired or their schedules had changed. To “resolve the issue,” spear phishers directed victims to a fake website that required them to reenter their login credentials. Scammers were so well-prepared, they used “Twilio,” “Okta,” and “SSO” (short for single sign-on) terms in the fake website’s URL to further convince employees to follow the malicious link. The attack disrupted Twilio’s network, impacting over 163 of the company’s customer organizations, causing financial losses.

These examples show the specific spear phishing tactics cybercriminals use to achieve their goals. Scammers target mid or low-level employees and members of government agencies, take time in creating specialized believable messages, and go out of their way to sound and look as legitimate as possible.

How to protect yourself from spear phishing attacks

Follow the tips below to protect yourself and your company’s assets from spear phishing attacks:

• If you accidentally open a phishing email, be careful of unexpected attachments or links. Refrain from clicking on any files or URLs and do not give out any information to people or organizations you don’t know or find suspicious. Always do some research about the attachments first.
• If you get a suspicious message from someone you know or someone that looks reliable, always double-check with that person or organization via their official channels.
• Do not display your company’s email addresses in public. Instead, use an online contact form to communicate with your customers.
• Learn about different spear phishing methods and educate your employees.
• Use the most up-to-date security software. We also recommend using NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro™ anti-phishing feature. It helps you identify malware-ridden files, stops you from landing on malicious websites, and blocks trackers and intrusive ads on the spot.
• Always check the sender’s email address to ensure the email is not malicious. Even the tiniest difference from a legitimate one (e.g., typos) is an obvious red flag.
• Limit the amount of info you post on social media. Do not share internal data that exposes your company’s activities, communication habits, or employee data. Share only the most essential and neutral info.
• Look for grammar mistakes, which are also a red flag in emails.
• Use two-factor authentication (2FA) and strong passwords.
• Use a link checker tool to inspect suspicious URLs and safeguard yourself from malicious links.
• Learn to recognize and prevent spear phishing attacks — memorize the most common signs of the scam, learn the SLAM method, and be vigilant when opening emails from unknown entities.