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RSS Feed'Whaling' phishers target top US execs
Top executives in the US are being specifically targeted by a sophisticated phishing scam.
Many thousands of high-up office workers have received emails purporting to be official subpoenas from the United States District Court in San Diego.
The messages are personalised - including the recipient's name, number and company - and encourage them to click on a link which it claims will direct them to further information.
If the executive does click on the link their PC becomes compromised by malware which allows criminals to record passwords and other sensitive information through their keystrokes.
A new phrase has been coined to describe this fraudulent tactic - whaling.
It refers to phishing for larger prey and is also sometimes known as spear phishing to describe the way in which cybercriminals target one particular individual.
According to CNET, spear phishing is presenting otherwise secure corporations with a major security issue and is on the increase.
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