Which technique involves manipulating individuals to obtain sensitive information?

The technique of manipulating individuals to obtain sensitive information is known as social engineering. This method relies on psychological manipulation rather than technical exploits to persuade individuals to divulge confidential or personal information. Social engineers use various tactics to build trust and create a sense of urgency or importance, making the target more likely to comply with requests for sensitive data.

In different contexts, social engineering can take on many forms, including impersonating a trusted individual, creating fake scenarios where the target feels compelled to share information, or exploiting social norms. The ultimate goal is to gather information like passwords, financial details, or other confidential data without resorting to direct hacking techniques.

Other options represent different methodologies that do not focus primarily on human interaction and persuasion. Phishing, while closely related, typically involves sending emails or messages that appear legitimate to deceive the target into providing information, rather than direct manipulation. Malware injection and brute force attacks are technical approaches that involve exploiting vulnerabilities in systems or attempting to crack passwords, respectively, and do not rely on manipulating individuals' trust or decisions.