en
phishing
/ˈfɪʃɪŋ/
Definition
1
A form of social engineering where attackers masquerade as a trusted entity to deceive victims into divulging sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, or personal data.
2
A type of cyberattack that often uses deceptive emails, messaging, or spoofed websites to bait users into clicking malicious links or downloading malware.
Examples
I received an email from a fake bank claiming my account was locked, but the URL looked like it was hosted by a toaster in someone's basement.
My uncle finally stopped clicking on 'Prince of Nigeria' inheritance emails, which is a major win for his retirement savings.
Sending a phishing link to a cybersecurity expert is basically the digital equivalent of trying to sell a map of the desert to a camel.