Final answer:
If asked for personal details like birth date and address in a phone survey, this could be a phishing attempt. Phishers use such calls to collect personal data for identity theft. Legitimate surveys usually do not require such sensitive personal information.
Step-by-step explanation:
When you receive a call on your work phone and are asked to participate in a phone survey that requests your birth date and address, the type of attack this might be is known as phishing. This is a form of social engineering in which attackers attempt to trick you into giving out personal information that can be used for fraudulent activities, such as identity theft. Polling organizations, like Harris Interactive or Gallup, may conduct legitimate surveys and ask for demographic information to determine eligibility or to ensure the poll results are representative of a population. However, legitimate surveys typically do not require detailed personal information such as exact birth dates and home addresses.
In the context of cybersecurity, this can be a tactic used by hackers for identity theft. They may pretend to be conducting a legitimate survey, but their real intent is to gather personal details that can compromise your security. If you are not expecting a survey call and the questions seem intrusive or personal, it is safer to refrain from providing any sensitive information.