Ethical Hacking Essentials Practice Test

Which of the following attacks specifically targets high-profile individuals like CEOs and politicians?

1. Phishing

2. Whaling

3. Keylogging

4. Ransomware

The correct answer is: Whaling

Whaling is an attack that focuses on high-profile individuals, such as CEOs, government officials, and other influential figures within an organization. The term "whaling" is derived from the idea of hunting large "whales," which in this context refers to individuals of significant value that attackers want to target for their sensitive information or access to financial resources. This method often involves highly personalized phishing campaigns where attackers gather information about their targets to craft messages that appear legitimate and relevant, increasing the likelihood of success. Whaling attacks leverage social engineering tactics to trick high-profile individuals into revealing sensitive information or credentials, often leading to significant financial losses or data breaches. In contrast, phishing generally targets a wider audience through generic email or message schemes, while keylogging focuses on capturing keystrokes to gain unauthorized access to accounts. Ransomware involves encrypting files and demanding payment for decryption, which is not specifically aligned with targeting high-profile individuals. Thus, whaling is the most accurate term for an attack aimed explicitly at influential figures.