Final answer:
The correct answer is A. Social engineering, which is a deceptive method used by hackers to obtain personal information. Hackers may use various social engineering techniques such as phishing to trick individuals.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tool used to manipulate individuals to have them freely disclose their personal information, such as log-in credentials, to unauthorized individuals is A. Social engineering. Social engineering is a tactic that hackers use to trick people into revealing sensitive information. They may employ various methods such as phishing, pretexting, baiting, or scareware to lure victims into sharing their data.
For instance, in a phishing attempt, an attacker might send an email that appears to be from a legitimate company asking for login information. It's important to be vigilant when handling personal information on the web to prevent falling victim to these tactics.