This paper examines the evolution of spear-phishing attacks and why they remain a primary initial access vector. It explains how attackers personalize emails using social engineering, urgency, and impersonation to deceive targeted victims. The document includes real-world case studies such as fake IT notifications and CEO fraud scams, analyzing how victims were compromised. It also reviews global incidents like major data breaches caused by phishing. The paper concludes with practical prevention strategies, including user awareness, email security controls, and behavioral detection mechanisms.

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