What type of phishing attack specifically targets wealthy or powerful individuals?

Whaling is a specific type of phishing attack that targets high-profile individuals, such as executives, business leaders, or other influential people who typically have access to valuable information or resources. The term "whaling" is derived from the idea of "hunting the big fish," as these attackers focus on prominent targets who are likely to facilitate large financial transactions or possess sensitive data.

Whaling attacks often involve sophisticated methods, including personalized messaging that reflects a deep understanding of the target's role and environment. Attackers may pose as trusted associates or use familiar business language to make their requests seem legitimate, which increases the likelihood of their success. The goal is usually to gain financial gain or access to confidential information.

In this context, other types of attacks mentioned, such as vishing (voice phishing typically conducted over the phone), smishing (phishing via SMS), and business email compromise (which involves impersonating someone in a business context), do not specifically target high-profile individuals at the same level of focus and personal tailoring that whaling does. Each of these methods can target any individual or organization but do not carry the same connotation of aiming specifically at "big fish" targets like whaling does.