noun
- the practice of creating and using an invented scenario to engage a targeted victim in a manner that increases the chance the victim will divulge information or perform actions that would be unlikely in ordinary circumstances
Usage: cybersecurity; social engineering
Examples
- The hacker used pretexting to convince the employee to reveal their password.
- Pretexting often involves impersonating trusted figures like IT support staff.
- The company trained workers to recognize pretexting attempts over the phone.
- Identity thieves frequently use pretexting to obtain personal information.
- The security breach resulted from a successful pretexting attack on customer service.
- Pretexting can involve elaborate fake scenarios to gain victims’ trust.