Which phishing technique is directed at a specific individual?

• A. Spear fishing
• B. Whaling
• C. Tailgating
• D. Shoulder Surfing

Answer: (A)

Targeted social engineering through phishing uses information about a specific person to make the lure credible. That approach is spear phishing. It differs from generic phishing by being personalized to an individual or their role, often mimicking a colleague, supervisor, or trusted vendor and referencing real projects or processes to persuade the target to click a link, open an attachment, or reveal credentials. A related variant is whaling, which is spear phishing aimed at high-profile individuals like executives; it’s still targeted phishing, but focuses on prominent targets. The other options describe physical or different attack methods—tailgating involves slipping into a secured area by following someone, and shoulder surfing is observing someone enter a password. So, the technique directed at a specific individual is spear phishing.