# phish

Pronunciation: say "FISH" /fɪʃ/

## Verb

1. To attempt to steal sensitive information by sending fraudulent messages that impersonate a trusted source.
   - Simple: To trick people into sharing passwords or bank details by pretending to be someone they trust.
   - _Attackers phish unsuspecting users with emails that mimic well-known companies._
   - _The group phished thousands of employees before the security team caught on._

## Noun

2. A fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information by impersonating a trustworthy source in an electronic message.
   - Simple: A trick where someone pretends to be a trusted person to steal your private information.
   - _Security staff flagged the message as a phish targeting newly hired employees._
   - _A well-crafted phish can fool even careful users into entering their credentials._

## Origin

A back-formation from "phishing."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/phish (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).