Which of these is a method commonly used in social engineering?

Phishing is a method commonly used in social engineering because it involves manipulating individuals into divulging sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, or credit card numbers. This is typically accomplished through deceptive communications, often sent via email, that appear to be from a trusted source. The goal of phishing is to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link or providing personal information that can be exploited by attackers.

While firewall creation, software updates, and data encryption are important aspects of cybersecurity aimed at protecting systems and data, they are not methods used in social engineering. Instead, these strategies focus on preventing unauthorized access or vulnerabilities rather than exploiting human psychology or behavior, which is the core of social engineering tactics like phishing.