What is an example of a social engineering tactic used to manipulate individuals?

Pretexting is a tactic used in social engineering where an attacker creates a fabricated scenario, or pretext, to manipulate an individual into providing confidential information or performing actions that may compromise security. This involves tricking the target into believing that the attacker has a legitimate reason for the request, which may involve impersonating someone the target trusts or creating a false circumstance that seems credible. For instance, an attacker may pose as a technical support representative and request sensitive information under the guise of resolving an issue.

This method is distinct from other tactics, as it specifically leverages human psychology and interpersonal interactions rather than relying on technical vulnerabilities or attacks. While other options like Denial of Service and SQL Injection involve technical exploits aimed at disrupting services or compromising systems, pretexting focuses on the human element, demonstrating the importance of awareness and training in recognizing social engineering threats.