Spear Phishing

Alternative Definitions

Definition 2

A targeted attack using bogus emails that attempts to get the victim to provide login or personal information to the hackers.

Source: NIST WebType: semantic

Definition 3

A targeted attack by hackers, via bogus emails, that attempts to get the victim to provide login information or personal information to the hackers. Spear Phishing attempts may appear to originate from legitimate, known sources, such as organizational IT or known vendors. Election officials should NOT click through on suspicious links or open attachments without first verifying that the email is legitimate.

Source: The State and Local Election Cybersecurity PlaybookType: external

Definition 4

A colloquial term that can be used to describe any highly targeted phishing attack.

Source: Committee on National Security Systems Glossary CNSSI 4009-2015Type: standard

Definition 5

A targeted attack by hackers, using bogus emails, that attempts to get the victim to provide login information or personal information to the hackers. Spear Phishing attempts may appear to originate from legitimate, known sources, such as organizational IT or known vendors.

Source: NIST Election GlossaryType: standard

Definition 6

Sending emails from an ostensibly trusted source to solicit confidential information

Source: An Investigation into Foreign Entities Who Are Targeting Servicemembers and Veterans OnlineType: external