What does the term "spoofing" refer to in cybersecurity?

In the context of cybersecurity, "spoofing" specifically refers to an attack where an impersonator pretends to be someone else to gain unauthorized access. This can involve various techniques, such as falsifying the sender's information in emails, altering the source address of packets in network communications, or even creating fake websites that closely resemble legitimate ones. The goal of spoofing is often to trick individuals or systems into providing sensitive information, executing transactions, or allowing system access while disguising the true identity of the attacker.

Spoofing exploits trust and often relies on the unsuspecting target believing they are interacting with a trusted source. For example, an attacker might use email spoofing to impersonate a company executive to trick employees into divulging confidential information or making unauthorized financial transactions. This characteristic of masquerading under a false identity is what fundamentally defines the term in the realm of cybersecurity.