Phishing is a form of hacking that involves using deceptive emails or fake websites to steal user data like login credentials. It works by tricking users into believing they are on legitimate websites by using authentic looking designs. Phishing attacks come in different forms like deceptive, spear, and whaling phishing. Users can protect themselves by being educated on how to identify phishing scams and using security technologies like email filters and firewalls. Organizations should implement layered security and train employees to reduce the impact of phishing attacks.