In cybersecurity, 'phased' commonly refers to attacks or operations executed in distinct stages or phases. Each phase may involve reconnaissance, initial compromise, lateral movement, data exfiltration, and cleanup. By dividing an attack into phases, threat actors can better evade detection, adapt tactics, and increase the chances of success. Defensive strategies also use phased approaches, such as phased rollout of security patches or multi-stage incident response plans. Understanding the phased nature of both attacks and defenses helps organizations anticipate threats and develop layered security measures.