Phishing is when you receive a fake, malicious email with the goal of having you do something you would not intentionally do. Phishing typically comes through email. Other types of social engineering (vishing, smishing, quishing, etc.) come through other methods. Phishing is sometime used as a blanket term to describe all devious behavior like this.
For example, phishing often tricks people into:
- clicking links which download malware
- clicking links and entering your personal/work credentials
- opening or saving attachments that have malware (or attachments with embedded links)
- running files that inject malicious software into your computer
- replying with sensitive or private information
