An experienced cyber attacker has created a fake Linkedin profile, successfully impersonating a high- ranking official from a well-established company, to execute a social engineering attack. The…

Question

Options

• APretexting and Network Vulnerability
• BSpear Phishing and Spam
• CWhaling and Targeted Attacks
• DBaiting and Involuntary Data Leakage

• A
  4% (1)
• B
  4% (1)
• C
  86% (24)
• D
  7% (2)

Explanation

Whaling and Targeted Attacks

Option C is correct because whaling is a highly targeted social engineering attack that specifically impersonates high-level executives or senior officials (like C-suite members or top management) to manipulate others - in this case, the attacker created a fake profile of a high-ranking official to gain trust, access exclusive events, and extract proprietary information, making "targeted attacks" the natural immediate threat.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A (Pretexting/Network Vulnerability) is partially relevant since pretexting involves creating a false identity/scenario, but it doesn't capture the executive-level impersonation that defines this attack, and no network technical vulnerability was exploited.
• B (Spear Phishing/Spam) involves targeted email deception, not LinkedIn profile impersonation of senior officials, and spam is a mass, untargeted technique - the opposite of what occurred here.
• D (Baiting/Involuntary Data Leakage) involves luring victims with enticing offers (like infected USB drives), which does not align with impersonating an executive to build trust.

Memory Tip: Think of "Whaling" as going after the "big fish" - the bigger the impersonated target (executives, CEOs, officials), the more it qualifies as whaling. If the fake persona holds a high rank, think Whaling = Whopper target!

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