Dictionary of Information Security

142 Dictionary of Information Security

phage another of the (many) idiosyncratic terms for virus

or malware. Imprecise: should not be used.

pharming maliciously redirecting a Web browser to an

alternate Web site (not the site the user is expecting)

to fool the user into providing confidential data,

which is then generally used for identity theft or

other forms of fraud

phishing posting of a fraudulent message to a large number

of people via spam or other general posting asking

them to submit personal or security information,

which is then used for further fraud or identity theft.

The term is possibly an extension of trolling, which

is the posting of an outrageous message or point of

view (see flame) in a newsgroup or mailing list in

the hope that someone ...