Phishing refers to which of the following?

Study for the Certified Bank Secrecy Act Professional Test. Use flashcards and multiple-choice questions with hints and explanations. Get exam ready!

Phishing uses deceptive electronic messages to trick people into revealing sensitive information such as passwords or financial data. It relies on social engineering to impersonate a trusted source and prompt the user to take an action, like clicking a link or entering credentials. The description that best fits phishing is fraudulent emails aimed at stealing personal data, because emails are the typical channel used to deceive victims. The other options describe different threats: malicious software that hides on devices is malware, not phishing; denial-of-service via botnet is a DoS attack; and in-person social engineering describes manipulation face-to-face, which is a broader tactic not specific to phishing.