Spear Phishing Attacks: Top 7 Signs To Watch For
KnowBe4, Thursday, March 5th, 2026
Spear phishing is on the rise in the US and is quickly becoming the biggest cybersecurity threat for businesses. With more sophisticated, human-like emails and a greater reliance on email communication in general, it can be difficult to spot a standard phishing attack, let alone a spear phishing one.
What is spear phishing?
As the name suggests, spear phishing targets a specific individual. This tactic is often more successful than standard phishing emails due to their genuine appearance. Through dangerous, sometimes malware-laden links, criminals steal sensitive data, penetrate organizations, and cause security threats for everyone involved.
In this kind of attack, fraudsters impersonate a known contact of the victim - making it more realistic and dangerous. Through social media sites like LinkedIn, they gain insights into the roles and responsibilities of different people within an organization and use this information to build a credible narrative.