An obfuscated script is a piece of code that has been intentionally altered to make it difficult for humans and automated security tools to read or understand. This is often done by scrambling variable names, adding unnecessary code, or encoding the script in unusual ways. While obfuscation can be used to protect intellectual property, it is commonly employed by cybercriminals to hide malicious code and evade detection. Recognizing and analyzing obfuscated scripts is a key skill in cybersecurity, as these scripts are frequently used in phishing attacks, malware, and other cyber threats.