What social-engineering technique is being used if a CFO receives a fraudulent email requesting a money transfer?

The scenario describes a fraudulent email aimed at a CFO, specifically targeting a high-ranking individual within an organization. This approach exemplifies whaling, which is a social engineering technique designed to deceive senior executives and other high-profile targets into disclosing sensitive information or authorizing financial transactions.

Whaling is distinct from phishing in that it focuses on high-value targets, using personalized tactics that make the fraudulent attempt more convincing. Since the email in the question targets a CFO specifically, it highlights the targeted nature of whaling, as attackers are aware of their victim's position and are likely to craft their messages accordingly, often leveraging insider knowledge or organizational context.

Phishing, while a broader term that applies to deceptive emails sent to any user, is more general and does not exclusively target high-profile individuals. Typo squatting refers to registering domain names that are typographical errors of legitimate sites, while pharming involves redirecting users from legitimate sites to fraudulent ones. Neither of these techniques specifically pertains to the direct targeting of high-level executives as seen in this scenario.