--- title: "Cyber Security: What is whaling?" description: Whaling attacks use social engineering techniques and will send fraudulent hyperlinks attachments to steal personal information or install software. image: https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/hubfs/whale%20tail.jpg --- [![Strategic Group](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/hs-fs/hubfs/SGRP%20Logo%20-%20Inverted%20white.png?width=2951&name=SGRP%20Logo%20-%20Inverted%20white.png "Strategic Group")](https://www.strategicgroup.net.au) - [Home](https://www.strategicgroup.net.au/) - [About](https://strategicgroup.net.au/about/) - [Careers](https://strategicgroup.net.au/careers/) - [Services](https://strategicgroup.net.au/services/) - [IT Support & HelpDesk](https://strategicgroup.net.au/it-support-helpdesk/) - [Cloud Computing](https://strategicgroup.net.au/cloud-computing/) - [Private Cloud](https://info.strategicgroup.net.au/vault-demo) - [Public Cloud](https://strategicgroup.net.au/public-cloud-computing/) - [Cyber Security](https://strategicgroup.net.au/cyber-security/) - [Security & Risk Audit](https://info.strategicgroup.net.au/cyber-security-audit) - [Staff Training](https://info.strategicgroup.net.au/email-security-training) - [Telecommunications](https://strategicgroup.net.au/unified-communications/) - [Unified Communications](https://strategicgroup.net.au/unified-communications/) - [Microsoft Teams Calling](https://strategicgroup.net.au/ms-teams-calling/) - [Strategy & Planning](https://info.strategicgroup.net.au/virtual-cio) - [IT Consulting](https://info.strategicgroup.net.au/virtual-cio) - [Business Continuity Planning](https://info.strategicgroup.net.au/business-continuity) - [Disaster Recovery Planning](https://strategicgroup.net.au/disaster-recovery/) - [Device as a Service](https://info.strategicgroup.net.au/strategic-group-device-as-a-service) - [IT Projects](https://strategicgroup.net.au/it-project-services/) - [On-site & Hybrid Servers](https://www.strategicgroup.net.au/on-site-servers/) - [Case Studies](https://strategicgroup.net.au/case-studies/) - [Insights](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/) - [Blog](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/) - [Resources](https://strategicgroup.net.au/resources/) - [Contact](https://strategicgroup.net.au/contact/) - [1300 857 048](tel:1300857048) ![Strategic Group Blog](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/hs-fs/hubfs/apple-computer-desk-96858.jpg?width=2000&name=apple-computer-desk-96858.jpg "Strategic Group Blog") # Strategic Group Blog #### Everything you need to know about IT and technology #### [Tips](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/topic/tips) [Security](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/topic/security) # [Cyber Security: What is whaling?](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/cyber-security-what-is-whaling) ![close](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2432204/AK-UI%20Builder/close-button.svg) ### Categories - [News (76)](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/topic/news) - [Tips (71)](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/topic/tips) - [Security (44)](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/topic/security) - [Productivity (13)](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/topic/productivity) - [Technology (7)](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/topic/technology) - [AI (5)](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/topic/ai) - [Community (2)](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/topic/community) - [Insider (1)](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/topic/insider) - [Uncategorised (1)](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/topic/uncategorised) ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Popular Stories [The Essential 8 Guidelines for Business: What You Need to Know](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/the-essential-8-guidelines-for-business-what-you-need-to-know) Mar 18, 2025 [Embracing AI in the workplace in 2025](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/embracing-ai-in-the-workplace-in-2025) Mar 24, 2025 [Top tech gifts to buy this Christmas](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/top-tech-gifts-to-buy-this-christmas-0-1-0) Dec 11, 2024 [Social Engineering Red Flags - What to look out for](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/social-engineering-red-flags-what-to-look-out-for) Oct 21, 2022 [How much is IT costing your business?](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/how-much-is-it-costing-your-business) Jul 10, 2018 Categories | Subscribe | Populars - - - - Written by Emily Gam on June 25, 2019 You’ve heard of [phishing](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/how-to-prevent-phishing-in-your-business) and how scammers use it along with [social engineering](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/what-is-social-engineering) tactics to get you to click on a dodgy link, but what is whaling? A whaling attack, also known as whaling phishing, is a specific type of phishing attack where scammers target the big fish in a company, namely anyone in the c-suite such as CEO or COO. The term whaling comes from the size of attacks and the ‘whale’ is picked because of their seniority and authority within the company. #### **How does it work?** The goal of a whaling attack is the same as a normal phishing email, to trick the recipient into either disclosing personal/company information, sending money or installing malicious software on their computer. The different with a whaling attack is that it is much more targeted and will often include the target’s name, title and other information that is collected from a variety of sources, like social media. Like all kinds of scam emails, whaling attacks use social engineering techniques and will often send fraudulent hyperlinks or malicious attachments to steal personal information or install software. The scammers are willing to spend more time and effort into crafting these scams because of the higher value payoff. #### **What’s the different between whaling and spear phishing?** They are both similar types of scams but while anyone can be a target of a spear phishing attack, only CEOs and high ranking staff members are targeted by whaling attacks. #### **What can you do?** The first thing to protect your business from any type of phishing email is to make sure all of your staff are trained and know how to identify these scams, this also includes the C suite, or management team. Make sure there are processes in place when paying invoices or requests for purchases, such as always getting a secondary approval or getting verbal confirmation. Never pay an unusual supplier or invoice because you received one email. If you’re not sure how susceptible your staff are to phishing emails take our [free phishing test](https://info.strategicgroup.net.au/phishing-security-test) to find out your baseline score. [![Free User Phishing Test](https://hubspot-no-cache-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/1726473/b18ee902-c230-41ff-bea9-e3c11b89ba74.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/1726473/b18ee902-c230-41ff-bea9-e3c11b89ba74) ![Subscribe](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2432204/99%20Template%20Pack/Background%20Images/message.svg "Subscribe") ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Let Us Know What You Thought about this Post. Put your Comment Below. ### You may also like: [Tips](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/topic/tips) [Security](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/topic/security) [Technology](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/topic/technology) ## [The Essential 8 Guidelines for Business: What You Need to Know](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/the-essential-8-guidelines-for-business-what-you-need-to-know) In today's digital age, cyber threats are an ever-present danger for businesses of all sizes. In response, the Australia... [Tips](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/topic/tips) [Security](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/topic/security) ## [No Place Like Home: Ensuring Cybersecurity for SMEs in the Remote Work Revolution](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/no-place-like-home-ensuring-cybersecurity-for-smes-in-the-remote-work-revolution) The rise of remote work in today's business environment creates unique opportunities, but also significant challenges fo... [Tips](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/topic/tips) [Security](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/topic/security) ## [Building a Phishing-Proof Business](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/building-a-phishing-proof-business) With their alarming simplicity and devastating effectiveness, phishing attacks continue to pose a significant threat to ... ![](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/2432204/hubfs/99%20Template%20Pack/newsletter_bg.jpeg?width=2000&name=newsletter_bg.jpeg) ## Get all updates straight to your inbox. Stay informed with the latest IT and Technology news. ### Subscribe to Email Updates [![Strategic Group](https://blog.strategicgroup.net.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Logos/SGRP_Final_Logo.jpg?width=700&name=SGRP_Final_Logo.jpg "Strategic Group")](https://www.strategicgroup.net.au) We wanted to be more than just a simple ‘break-fix’ IT provider, and become a true partner that understands our clients’ business drivers and goals so we can provide relevant IT solutions that enable our clients to grow & achieve their goals ##### SERVICES - Cloud Computing - [Helpdesk](https://www.strategicgroup.net.au/help-desk/) - IT Consulting ##### COMPANY - [About](https://strategicgroup.net.au/about/) - [Careers](https://strategicgroup.net.au/careers/) - [Case Studies](https://strategicgroup.net.au/case-studies/) ##### CONTACT Suite 5, 101 Hannell Street WICKHAM  NSW  2293 Phone: [1300 857 048](tel:1300857048) © 2018 All Rights Reserved