What does phishing primarily aim to achieve?

Phishing primarily aims to gather personal information through deception. This malicious activity involves tricking individuals into providing sensitive data, such as usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, and other personal details, often by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in electronic communications. Phishing attempts might occur via emails, messages, or fraudulent websites designed to look legitimate, effectively luring users into a false sense of security.

The deceptive tactics used in phishing aim to exploit human psychology, taking advantage of trust and urgency to prompt quick actions without critical scrutiny. Understanding this objective is essential for users to recognize potential phishing attempts and to protect their personal information from unauthorized access.