What is a whaling phishing attack?
Whaling is a common cyber attack that occurs when an attacker utilizes spear phishing methods to go after a large, high-profile target, such as c-suite executives.
Malicious actors know that executives and high-level employees (like public spokespersons) can be savvy to the usual roster of spam tactics; they may have received extensive security awareness training because of their public profile, and the security team may have more stringent policies and heftier tools in place to protect them. This leads attackers who try to phish these targets to look beyond the same old tried-and-true tactics to more sophisticated, targeted methods.
How do whaling phishing attacks work?
Like all phishing attacks, whaling relies on urgency and deception to manipulate the target into taking action—such as initiating a wire transfer or opening a malicious attachment. Desired outcomes may include coercing the recipient to take an unwanted action and trigger a wire transfer, for example, or to click on a link or open an attachment that installs malware or sends the target to a malicious website impersonating one that's legitimate. The goal: capture sensitive information, like credentials, that give the attacker a master key to a company's intellectual property, customer data, or other information that could be lucrative if sold on black markets.
As a result of the increasing awareness around typical phishing tactics, adversaries are adjusting their approaches by narrowing the scope and tailoring their fraudulent messages with details to convince the email recipient of their veracity and compel them to act. This more focused approach to phishing is commonly called spear phishing. When an attacker decides to spear phish a big, high-profile target, that’s when it becomes whaling.
Common whaling targets, like media spokespersons or C-level executives, by nature have more information about them publicly available for attackers to gather and exploit. Due to their seniority, they may also have greater internal data access than the average employee, including sensitive data and, in some cases, administrative privileges. For this reason, securing executive accounts with multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a critical safeguard, adding an extra verification layer that can block access even if login credentials are compromised. These protections should be part of a broader identity and access management (IAM) strategy that ensures only the right individuals have access to sensitive systems and data—especially at the executive level.
While the pool of potential whaling targets may be small, the stakes are significantly higher.
Examples of whaling attacks
At their core, the common thread in examples of past successful whaling campaigns aren't too dissimilar from successful phishing campaigns: The messages are seemingly so urgent, so potentially disastrous that the recipient feels compelled to act quickly, putting normal security hygiene practices by the wayside. Scammers writing successful whaling emails know their audience won't be compelled by just a deadline reminder or a stern email from a superior; instead, they’ll prey upon other fears, such as legal action or being the subject of reputational harm.
In one example of a whaling attempt, a number of executives across industries fell for an attack laced with accurate details about them and their businesses, that purported to be from a United States District Court with a subpoena to appear before a grand jury in a civil case. The email included a link to the subpoena, and when recipients clicked the link to view it they were infected with malware instead.
How to prevent whaling attacks
For executives and other likely targets of whaling—a targeted form of social engineering—the standard advice for prevention and protection from phishing still applies: beware of clicking links or attachments in emails, as phishing attacks require user action to succeed.
Organizations can further reduce risk by educating employees and minimizing public exposure of executive details. First, be mindful of the type of information public-facing employees share about executives. Details found on social media—like birthdays, hometowns, or hobbies—can make phishing messages seem more convincing. Major public events, such as industry conferences or media appearances, also give attackers opportunities to craft believable messages. Remind executives to be especially vigilant during these high-profile periods.
Implement a whaling awareness and simulation training
Training is one of the most powerful tools in preventing whaling attacks. Implement a targeted phishing awareness program tailored to senior leadership and public-facing staff. Encourage a "trust but verify" culture, where employees confirm suspicious requests through secondary channels, like a phone call or face-to-face conversation.
Simulated whaling campaigns can help reinforce training in a safe environment, allowing users to practice spotting and responding to fraudulent messages. Emphasize learning through failure and create a feedback loop that improves response over time.
Test and respond to whaling threats
Even with strong prevention measures in place, organizations must be prepared for attacks that bypass defenses. Having a defined incident response plan ensures your team can quickly detect, contain, and recover from a successful whaling attempt—minimizing damage to data, reputation, and operations. In parallel, regular penetration testing can help identify gaps in email filtering, user awareness, and access controls that could be exploited by attackers. Testing your environment with whaling-specific simulations and red team engagements ensures that your controls don’t just exist—they actually work when it matters.