What best describes phishing?

Phishing is best described as a technique for revealing sensitive information by impersonation. This method typically involves attackers masquerading as trustworthy entities in electronic communications, such as emails, messages, or websites, to deceive individuals into divulging personal information, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or social security numbers.

Phishing attacks often create a sense of urgency or fear, prompting victims to act quickly without verifying the authenticity of the request. By impersonating legitimate organizations and crafting believable messages, attackers exploit psychological factors to increase their chances of success. This tactic is common in various cybercrime incidents and underscores the importance of being vigilant when sharing personal information online.

Other options do not accurately reflect the nature of phishing; securing network data and communication protocols relate to protective measures rather than deceptive tactics, while data encryption concerns the method of protecting information rather than the act of conning individuals into revealing it.