Phishing is a pervasive form of cybercrime where attackers deceptively lure individuals into revealing sensitive information or installing malicious software. These scams have grown highly sophisticated, often mirroring legitimate websites and increasingly bypassing multi-factor authentication using advanced techniques like real-time relay tools, as highlighted by Microsoft Entra in 2024.

First recorded in 1995, the term "phishing" reflects the use of lures to "fish" for data, making it the most common cybercrime by 2020 according to the FBI. The threat is escalating, with business attacks surging from 72% in 2017 to 94% by 2023, necessitating robust user education and technical safeguards. Attackers employ various tactics, from widespread email scams to highly targeted "spear phishing" attacks, exemplified by Russia's Fancy Bear group targeting Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign.