Spear phishing (targeted email cyberattacks) has become increasingly difficult to spot, since phishing emails can now be tailored to individual users’ needs and habits to more effectively sway them into unknowingly compromising the security of their organization.

What’s more is that novel spear phishing campaigns now take advantage of the concerns over the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak to lure their unsuspecting victims with the goal of gaining unauthorized access to a computer network, and for obtaining sensitive data and information.

Consider the following:

• Does your organization have in place what is needed to identify and prevent a spear phishing attack before it is too late?
• Does your email service use encryption?
• Is your staff regularly trained in security awareness and social engineering?
• How would you know if one of your employees has fallen victim to a spear phishing attack?