What Is Phishing in Cyber Security?
Understand what phishing is in cyber security, how these attacks work, and why they matter for individuals, businesses, and future cyber security professionals.
Phishing is one of those cyber security threats most people have heard of. However, not many people feel confident explaining it in detail. I see this knowledge gap all the time as someone who helps people upskill in this space. Most people know it involves "dodgy emails" or "fake messages", but not why it works so well, or why it still causes serious damage today.
Put simply, phishing is when attackers trick people into handing over sensitive information — like passwords, bank details, or access to company systems — by pretending to be someone they trust. It sits firmly within the wider world of cyber security, because protecting systems often starts with protecting people and preventing human error.
As a cyber security Careers Consultant, I help people grow their understanding of cyber principles as they prepare to move into this sector professionally. I’ve put this guide together to break down phishing clearly and show you why understanding it matters more than ever.
And for those of you who are still building your understanding of the cyber basics, it can help to step back and look at what cyber security is as a whole before zooming in on specific threats.
Written by
With four years at Learning People and a solid foundation in IT and Cyber Security, Chris guides people through the fast-evolving tech landscape and into their dream jobs. He combines hands-on technical expertise with insider industry insights to help learners make informed career decisions.
What's on this page?
Jump to:
- What Is Phishing in Cyber Security? A Simple Explanation
- How Phishing Attacks Actually Work
- Common Types of Phishing Attacks You Should Know
- Why Phishing Is Such a Big Cyber Security Problem in the UK
- How Cyber Security Professionals Deal With Phishing
- How AI Is Changing Phishing Attacks (and Defences)
- Learning Phishing Defence Skills for a Career in Cyber Security
- Final Thoughts
- Phishing in Cyber Security FAQs
What Is Phishing in Cyber Security? A Simple Explanation
Phishing in cyber security is a type of attack where someone pretends to be a trusted person or organisation to trick you into giving up sensitive information.
I usually describe it as digital impersonation with a purpose. That purpose is almost always to steal something valuable, such as login details, personal data, or money.
What makes phishing different from other cyber threats is that it targets human behaviour, not just technology weaknesses. Instead of breaking into a system directly, the attacker tries to persuade you to open the door for them by posing as someone they're not.
This is why phishing is classed as a social engineering attack.
In real life, this often shows up as an email that looks like it’s from your bank or a colleague at work, a text message claiming there’s an issue with a delivery, or a fake login page designed to look almost identical to a genuine one.
Fact: 85% of UK Businesses Have Faced a Phishing Attack
Around 85% of UK organisations report experiencing phishing attacks within the past year, making it by far the most common cyber threat businesses face.
This shows how phishing isn’t an occasional risk or a “small business problem”. It affects organisations of every size and sector, which is why employers value people who understand how these attacks work and how to prevent them.
How Phishing Attacks Actually Work
When I explain phishing to people, I usually break it down into a simple sequence. Once you see the pattern, it’s much easier to spot.
Step 1: The lure
It starts with a message. That might be an email, a text, or even a direct message on a work platform. It looks routine. Nothing obviously suspicious at first glance.
Step 2: The hook
This is where emotion comes in. I see attackers lean on urgency, fear, or authority.
“Your account will be locked.”
“Your most recent payment failed.”
“The CEO needs this now.”
Step 3: The action
You’re prompted to click a link, open a file, or reply with information. It feels like the quickest way to fix the problem.
Step 4: The outcome
Credentials are captured, malware is installed, or access is quietly handed over to cyber attackers.
Even people who know their way around tech fall for phishing because the pressure feels real, and attackers are very good at copying normal, everyday communication.
Common Types of Phishing Attacks You Should Know
Over the years, I’ve noticed that many people think phishing is just “dodgy emails”. In reality, it shows up in several different forms, and some are far more targeted than others.
1. Email phishing
This is the most familiar type. I still see emails pretending to be from UK banks, energy providers, or delivery services, asking you to “verify” details or reset a password.
2. Smishing (SMS phishing)
These arrive by text message and often claim to be from couriers, mobile networks, or HMRC. Short messages, urgent language, and a link that looks just believable enough.
3. Spear phishing
This is more personal. The attacker researches you or your role and tailors the message. I often see this used against people with access to systems or finances.
4. Whaling
A form of spear phishing aimed at senior staff. Think Directors, Finance Managers, or executives, where a single mistake can have a big impact.
5. Clone phishing
A genuine email is copied and resent, but with a malicious link or attachment swapped in. It’s surprisingly effective.
6. Business Email Compromise (BEC)
These attacks target organisations directly, often impersonating suppliers or internal staff to redirect payments. I see this cause serious financial loss across UK businesses.
Why Phishing Is Such a Big Cyber Security Problem in the UK
Phishing remains a major issue in the UK because it’s cheap to run, easy to scale, and painfully effective.
Organisations invest heavily in technical security, only for a single convincing message to undo all of it.
When an attack succeeds, the impact is real. Individuals lose money or personal data, while businesses face downtime, recovery costs, and reputation damage.
A trend I've noticed is that remote and hybrid working have made this worse. People rely more on email, messaging platforms, and shared systems, which gives attackers more opportunities to blend in. On top of that, AI is now being used to write more convincing messages, copywriting styles, and remove the spelling mistakes that used to give phishing away.
If you look at our recent article on the top cyber attacks affecting UK organisations, phishing sits behind many of them, which is exactly why employers value people who understand how these attacks actually happen.
Fact: Phishing Is Linked to the Vast Majority of UK Cyber Incidents
Phishing techniques are involved in over 90% of reported cyber incidents affecting UK businesses and charities, either as the main attack or the initial entry point.
What this tells me is that phishing rarely acts alone. It’s often the first step that leads to data breaches, ransomware, or financial loss, which is exactly why phishing awareness is treated as a foundational skill in cyber security roles.
How Cyber Security Professionals Deal With Phishing
When I talk to business about how they deal with phishing, one thing comes up again and again: phishing isn’t handled by a single tool or team. It’s managed through layers of defence, and people play a huge role in that.
On a practical level, cyber security professionals monitor systems for unusual behaviour, such as unexpected login attempts or suspicious email activity. Email security tools help filter out known threats, but it's important for me to stress that no filter is perfect.
User awareness training is just as important. I’ve seen a well-trained team stop an attack simply by questioning an odd request before acting on it.
When something does get through, incident response kicks in. That means isolating systems, resetting access, and understanding how the attack worked so it doesn’t happen again.
If this side of the work interests you, understanding phishing is a solid first step towards learning how to get into cyber security and building skills employers actively look for.
How is AI Changing Phishing Attacks (and Defences)?
AI has changed the phishing landscape faster than many people expected.
Personally, I now see plenty of phishing messages that are:
- well written,
- personalised,
- and almost indistinguishable from genuine communication.
Attackers use AI to generate emails at scale, mimic writing styles, and even create convincing voice messages or deepfake audio that sounds like a real colleague or manager.
At the same time, defenders are using AI to up their game, too.
Modern security tools analyse patterns across huge volumes of data to spot unusual behaviour much earlier than a human ever could. From identifying suspicious logins to flagging subtle changes in email content, AI is becoming a key part of defence strategies.
If you want a broader view of this shift, our guide on the uses and impact of AI in cyber security explores where this is heading next.
Final Thoughts
Phishing is about deception, not just technology. It works because it targets trust, urgency, and everyday habits as vulnerabilities.
I always encourage people to understand how these attacks operate, not only to protect themselves, but to confidently explain the risk to others. That kind of understanding sticks, even as tactics change.
Demand for trained cyber professionals continues to grow, and phishing defence is a core part of many roles. That’s why we point people towards structured cyber security courses and training that teach these skills in a real-world context.
If you're looking to move into cyber security as a career (even if you have no prior experience), you can book a free consultation with one of our Career Consultants to talk through what roles might suit you and how to build the needed skills. Hit the button below to leave your details, and a Consultant will be in touch within one working day.
