What is phishing?

• A. A legitimate marketing tactic
• B. A method to improve cybersecurity
• C. A fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information
• D. A type of data management software

Answer: (C)

Phishing is a deceptive tactic used by attackers to obtain sensitive information such as passwords, account numbers, or other data by posing as a legitimate person or organization. This often comes through emails, text messages, or fake websites that imitate real banks, services, or coworkers. The attacker engineers a sense of urgency or fear to get you to click a link, enter credentials, or open an attachment. The goal is personal data that can be used for fraud, stealing funds, or taking control of accounts. To protect yourself, verify who sent the message, hover over links to check the destination URL, avoid entering information on sites you didn’t navigate to yourself, enable two‑factor authentication, keep software updated, and report suspicious messages. This description fits best because it directly defines phishing as a fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information through deception. The other options don’t fit: a legitimate marketing tactic aims to promote something, not steal data; a method to improve cybersecurity refers to defensive actions, not deception; a type of data management software is a tool, not an unauthenticated attempt to extract information.