What is phishing?

Phishing is recognized as a cyberattack method that employs fraudulent communication, often through email or deceptive websites, with the intent of tricking users into divulging sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, or other personal data. This malicious activity exploits human psychology and often appears to originate from a trusted source, making it difficult for individuals to discern the authenticity of the communication. The effectiveness of phishing lies in its ability to manipulate users into making hasty decisions based on the illusion of legitimacy.

The other options describe different concepts unrelated to the definitions of phishing. For instance, data recovery pertains to the process of restoring lost or inaccessible data, and network security protocols involve established rules that govern secure communications over networks, none of which align with the characteristics of phishing attacks. Additionally, network traffic analysis refers to monitoring and examining data traffic in a network environment, which focuses more on security analysis than on the deceptive human interactions seen in phishing scenarios.