Which term best matches the social engineering tactic involving pretending to be a trusted entity?

Which term best matches the social engineering tactic involving pretending to be a trusted entity?

• A. Phishing
• B. Impersonation
• C. Pretexting
• D. Lure

Answer: (B)

Impersonation is the act of assuming someone else’s identity to deceive, which is exactly what happens when a social engineer pretends to be a trusted entity like a bank representative or IT support. This direct taking on of another person’s role is the hallmark of the tactic, because the attacker relies on the target’s trust in that recognized authority to gain information or access. While phishing describes the broader method of sending fraudulent messages and pretexting involves crafting a believable scenario, impersonation specifically targets the trust by mimicking a legitimate, trusted identity. A lure is generic bait and doesn’t by itself define the act of adopting another’s identity.

Impersonation is the act of assuming someone else’s identity to deceive, which is exactly what happens when a social engineer pretends to be a trusted entity like a bank representative or IT support. This direct taking on of another person’s role is the hallmark of the tactic, because the attacker relies on the target’s trust in that recognized authority to gain information or access. While phishing describes the broader method of sending fraudulent messages and pretexting involves crafting a believable scenario, impersonation specifically targets the trust by mimicking a legitimate, trusted identity. A lure is generic bait and doesn’t by itself define the act of adopting another’s identity.