Chances are if you hear a conversation these days about spear fishing, it is not about someone’s exciting experiences on an exotic vacation. You are probably hearing about SPEAR PHISHING and the need for a computer forensics investigator. It may sound the same, but you or your organization are the targets instead of a game fish.
Spear phishing is an attack targeted very specifically to one simple point of contact – an inconspicuous email crafted to entice the receiver to click a link that opens malware or connects to a site that can compromise the recipient’s network – including intranet business network contacts.
Computer forensics firms are seeing more and more evidence of the spear phishing technique as the bad guys are honing their infiltration skills in a stealthier manner. Computer forensic analysis is showing that the receiver is researched and may be referred to specifically by name, position or rank, which makes identifying the email as malicious much more difficult.
Not always does the penetration into the network require a spyware detector or spyware removal. It might be that a bad guy is trying to push more information into the system rather than steal information or compromise confidentially. Corrupting files or the system’s ability to function properly can be as damaging as stealing industrial or corporate secrets.
Whatever the intent of the perpetrator, a computer forensics electronic discovery should be undertaken by an experienced computer hacking forensic investigator. Through the process of a computer forensic examination and digital forensics it is possible to pinpoint the source.
One of the best preventative steps you can take is to make everyone in your organization aware of spear phishing and what to look for specifically. If you need a computer forensics consultant to assist or speak with staff, contact professionals like . We know what spear phishing looks like in the workplace and our voice of experience may just prevent you from being victimized.
-Brenda McGinley, CEO, All in Investigations, All in Investigations
