What does phishing often disguise itself as?

Phishing often disguises itself as legitimate communication from trusted sources because this tactic makes it easier for malicious actors to deceive individuals into providing sensitive information or accessing harmful links. By mimicking reputable entities such as banks, email providers, or even internal company communications, phishing attempts can create a sense of urgency or trustworthiness that encourages users to act quickly without questioning the legitimacy of the request. This approach is effective because it exploits the victim's trust in familiar organizations, making them more likely to disregard their typical caution and respond to the phishing attempt.

The other options represent various forms of communication that could be misused; however, the core strategy of phishing lies in the ability to appear as a credible source that users would naturally interact with, thus amplifying the likelihood of successful exploitation.