What does "phishing" typically involve?

Phishing primarily involves sending fraudulent messages that appear to originate from trustworthy sources with the intent to deceive the recipient into revealing sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, or other personal data. This method exploits the victim’s trust in legitimate entities, often resulting in financial loss or identity theft.

The nature of phishing is to impersonate trusted brands, organizations, or individuals, commonly through emails, instant messages, or even phone calls. By creating a sense of urgency or concern, attackers encourage potential victims to click on malicious links or provide confidential data directly. This deceptive practice is a major threat to information security that continues to evolve with technology.

Other options, while related to online activity, do not accurately define phishing. Soliciting donations for a charity can be legitimate or illegal depending on the context, but it does not refer specifically to the deceptive practices involved in phishing. Creating fake websites for advertising pertains more to fraudulent advertising schemes and may also relate to phishing, but it is not a comprehensive definition. Conducting online surveys might gather data, but it is generally considered an acceptable practice unless it also involves deception or misuse of information. Thus, the act of phishing is specifically characterized by the fraudulent communication aimed at stealing sensitive information.