A user receives a text message (SMS) claiming to be from their bank, asking them to click a link and verify their account due to suspicious activity. This attack technique is BEST described as:

Why C is correct

Smishing is phishing conducted via SMS/text messages. The attacker crafts an urgent, legitimate-appearing message and includes a malicious link. Vishing is phishing via voice calls (phone calls). Spear phishing is targeted email-based phishing aimed at a specific individual. Pharming redirects users to fake sites by poisoning DNS or modifying the hosts file - it does not use SMS. Smishing exploits the perception that SMS is more trustworthy than email, and users often click links in texts without scrutinizing them as carefully as email links.