What is 'phishing'?

Phishing is a method of gathering personal information by using deceptive emails or websites. This practice typically involves tricking individuals into providing sensitive data, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or other personal details, often by masquerading as a trustworthy entity. For example, users might receive an email that appears to be from a legitimate organization asking them to click on a link and enter their information on a fake website designed to look like the real one.

Understanding phishing is crucial for recognizing potential cyber threats, as it relies on psychological manipulation rather than technical hacking. While the other options present different concepts in technology and data management, they do not relate to the act of misleading individuals to gather sensitive personal information, which defines phishing.