A caller tells the facilities clerk they are conducting an unannounced physical-security audit for the county and need today’s badge door codes "for the checklist." Which social-engineering technique is primarily in play?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
Fake audit story, real ask for badge codes — that is pretexting, a made-up scenario to pry out secrets. It is a human vector, not SQLi or a hypervisor escape. Verify auditors through known channels before sharing physical access details.
Full Explanation
Pretexting uses a fabricated narrative and assumed role to manipulate people into disclosing information or granting access. Objective 2.2 includes pretexting/impersonation beyond simple phishing emails. SQL injection, VM escape, and weak cryptography are technical vulnerability classes, not this human vector. Municipal facilities staff should validate audit requests through official scheduling and identity proofing.