A cloaking service is a cybersecurity tool or technique used to disguise the true nature or content of a website or online advertisement. It works by presenting different content to security scanners, bots, or search engines than what is shown to real users. This allows attackers to bypass detection mechanisms, such as anti-malware scanners or ad verification systems, while still delivering malicious content - like phishing pages, malware, or deceptive ads - to their intended human targets. Cloaking services are commonly used in online fraud, search engine manipulation, and malware distribution, making it difficult for automated security solutions to identify and block harmful sites or ads. Detecting and mitigating cloaking requires advanced behavioral analysis and threat intelligence.