Final answer:
Whaling is the term that best describes targeting high-level employees or senior management and directors with potentially malicious email.
Step-by-step explanation:
Whaling is the term that best describes targeting high-level employees or senior management and directors with potentially malicious email. Whaling is a type of phishing attack that specifically targets individuals with access to valuable information and systems within an organization.
Unlike traditional phishing attacks that target a large number of people, whaling focuses on a select group of high-value targets. The attackers often impersonate trusted individuals or organizations and use social engineering techniques to manipulate the targets into revealing sensitive information or executing harmful actions.
For example, a whaling attack might involve an email that appears to be from the CEO of a company, requesting urgent financial information. If the target falls for the deception, they may unknowingly compromise sensitive data or transfer funds to the attacker.