“Phishing” is defined by the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) as “… an attempt by an individual or group to solicit personal information from unsuspecting users by employing social engineering techniques.” Much like “fishing”, “phishing” also involves setting the trap and waiting for their potential victim to take the bait.
Phishing comes in many forms. The most common type of phishing attempts are in the form of an email. However, victims could also be the target of spoofed social media accounts, malicious websites, or unsolicited phone calls.