CEO Fraud also known as executive fraud or whaling, is a phishing attack that targets high-level executives or CEOs within an organization. Attackers deceive these top executives into giving away sensitive information or access mostly through email.
Example:
Amanda is the CFO of a large corporation. She receives an urgent email purportedly from the CEO. The email requests immediate access to financial data for a supposed emergency board meeting. Amanda complies and provides access to the requested information unaware that she is giving access to an attacker.
Prevention Tips:
- Implement internal protocols for verifying requests from high-level executives, especially regarding financial transactions.
- Educate employees about CEO fraud and how to identify suspicious emails.