Phishing is a type of cyberattack where attackers attempt to deceive individuals into providing sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, or other personal data by posing as a trustworthy entity in electronic communication. 

This is typically done through emails, instant messages, or other forms of electronic communication that appear to be from legitimate sources such as banks, government agencies, or reputable companies. The goal of phishing is to trick individuals into divulging their confidential information, which can then be used for fraudulent purposes such as identity theft or unauthorized access to accounts.