What does social engineering refer to?

Social engineering refers to a manipulation technique used to trick individuals into divulging confidential information. This practice exploits human psychology rather than relying on technical hacking methods. Through social engineering, attackers create scenarios that entice individuals to provide sensitive data such as passwords, personal identification numbers, or other secure details. Common tactics include impersonating a trusted figure or creating a sense of urgency, making individuals more likely to fall for the deception.

The other options describe different areas related to cybersecurity or computer science. For instance, programming computers to optimize performance pertains to software engineering rather than the manipulation of individuals. Building secure software refers to practices in software development aimed at preventing vulnerabilities during the design and coding phases. Updating security protocols involves maintaining and enhancing the security measures in place, which again does not involve the direct manipulation of individuals as seen in social engineering techniques. Therefore, the description that focuses on tricking individuals into revealing confidential information accurately defines social engineering.