Which type of attack relies on deceiving individuals into revealing confidential information?

The correct response is centered around social engineering, which is a broad term encompassing various techniques used to manipulate individuals into divulging confidential information. This approach leverages psychological tactics to exploit human trust and often involves scenarios where the attacker masquerades as someone else, such as a legitimate authority figure or a trusted entity. By doing so, the attacker can convince the target to provide sensitive data, such as passwords or credit card numbers.

Phishing is a specific subtype of social engineering that usually occurs online, where attackers send deceptive emails or messages to lure users into revealing personal information. While both phishing and social engineering are related, social engineering is the more comprehensive category that includes various methods, some of which may not be strictly digital.

On the other hand, a DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack focuses on overwhelming a service with traffic, rendering it inoperable, and does not involve deceiving individuals for information. Similarly, a malware attack typically involves the use of malicious software to compromise systems or steal data but does not inherently rely on manipulating individuals into providing information voluntarily. Understanding these distinctions helps clarify why social engineering is the most appropriate answer when discussing tactics involving deception for confidential information acquisition.