What strategy is commonly used in social engineering attacks?

The strategy commonly used in social engineering attacks involves convincing an individual to divulge information. This approach leverages psychological manipulation and exploits human trust rather than relying on technical skills to breach a system. Social engineers often create scenarios that make individuals feel comfortable or pressured to share sensitive information, such as login credentials or personal data.

For example, an attacker may impersonate a trusted entity, like a bank representative or IT support staff, and request information under the pretense of resolving an issue or enhancing security. This tactic highlights the importance of awareness and training in recognizing social engineering attempts, as it is often more about understanding human behavior than technology.

Other options like directly hacking into systems or using technological tools to crack passwords typically focus on exploiting vulnerabilities in systems rather than manipulating human psychology. Creating fake accounts can be a method used in some social engineering schemes, but it generally serves to facilitate the primary technique of deceiving individuals into providing information.