Final answer:
A hacker pretending to be an employee to gain login information is launching a social engineering attack. This method depends on human interaction and deception, tricks people into sharing sensitive information, and is one of the various ways hackers compromise security.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of security attack being launched when a hacker calls a company to obtain computer login information and pretends to be an employee is known as social engineering. Hackers use this method, among other techniques, to manipulate individuals into divulging confidential or personal information that may be used for fraudulent purposes. Social engineering attacks rely on human interaction and often involve tricking people into breaking normal security procedures.
For example, a hacker might call the company's technical support pretending to be an employee who has forgotten their password. By gaining the trust of the person on the other end of the line, the hacker can convince them to provide login credentials or other sensitive information.
In addition to social engineering, online threats to privacy and security include large-scale data breaches at major corporations, where hackers gain access to personal information and expose millions to the risk of identity theft. Individual users are also at risk when they click on suspect links in emails that may install malicious software or lead them to phishing websites designed to harvest login details and financial information.