What is "phishing" in the context of cybersecurity?

Phishing refers to a type of cyber attack that typically involves deceptive communication, often in the form of emails, that attempts to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, or other personal data. The emails commonly masquerade as trustworthy entities, such as banks or reputable companies, to create a sense of urgency or legitimacy, prompting the recipient to click on malicious links or open infected attachments. This tactic exploits human psychology, aiming to manipulate users into making security mistakes.

In contrast, the other options focus on unrelated concepts. The technique for secure data encryption involves methods to protect data during transmission or storage and is not directly tied to the deceptive practices of phishing. Network traffic analysis investigates outgoing and incoming data for security purposes, which is distinct from the targeted manipulation of individuals seen in phishing. Lastly, password recovery strategies are designed to help users regain access to their accounts when they've forgotten their credentials, which does not align with the fraudulent intent underlying phishing attacks.