Final answer:
A spear-phishing attack is a targeted type of phishing attack that involves deceptive emails with infected attachments or links. Attackers often impersonate trusted entities to gain the target's trust. This attack is different from bulk email campaigns and botnet-based attacks.
Step-by-step explanation:
A spear-phishing attack is a targeted type of phishing attack that aims to deceive and trick a specific individual. This attack is typically launched with an infected attachment or link, which is designed to look legitimate and entice the target to click on it. The objective of spear-phishing is to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information or to infect the target's computer system with malware.
The attackers often impersonate a trusted entity, such as a coworker, a client, or a service provider. By using familiar names, email addresses, or other personal details, they try to gain the target's trust and increase the likelihood of success.
Spear-phishing attacks are different from bulk email campaigns, which involve sending a large number of phishing emails to random recipients, hoping that some will fall for the scam. They are also distinct from botnet-based attacks, where a network of compromised computers is used to send out phishing emails or carry out other malicious activities.