Question

which of the following best defines phishing?
a. it is documenting an individuals personal information by tracking his or her online activities.
b. it is a scam that seeks to steal identities by routing internet traffic to fake websites.
c. it is a form of internet advertising that involves sending solicited emails to interested customers.
d. it is an attempt to steal personal information by sending official - looking emails to people.

Explanation:

Phishing is a cyber - attack where attackers send emails that appear official (e.g., from banks, e - commerce sites). The goal is to trick recipients into revealing personal information like passwords, credit card numbers.

• Option A: Tracking online activities for documentation is more about data collection (e.g., by analytics tools), not phishing.
• Option B: Routing traffic to fake websites is more related to DNS spoofing (a type of man - in - the - middle attack) rather than the typical phishing method of using emails.
• Option C: Sending solicited emails (even if it's a form of advertising) is not phishing. Phishing emails are unsolicited and malicious.

Answer:

D. It is an attempt to steal personal information by sending official - looking emails to people.