Final answer:
Social engineering is the use of persuasion or influence to deceive personnel into divulging confidential information or allowing unauthorized actions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Persuasion or influence to deceive personnel into divulging confidential information or allowing unauthorized actions is a tactic known as social engineering. Social engineering relies on human weaknesses such as the willingness to help and unwillingness to question authority. It is often used in cyberattacks, where attackers manipulate individuals to gain access to sensitive information or systems.
One example of social engineering is phishing, where attackers send deceptive emails or messages to trick people into giving up their personal information. Another example is pretexting, where attackers impersonate someone else to gain access to confidential information. These tactics exploit human vulnerabilities, making it important to be cautious and verify requests for information or actions.