Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) Practice Question

The scenario describes an attacker who fabricates a credible backstory (being an employee who is stranded while traveling) to gain the trust of the help-desk agent and obtain account access. This is a textbook example of pretexting, where the social engineer invents a false identity and scenario to manipulate the target into divulging confidential information or performing an action.

Baiting relies on offering something enticing (e.g., free USB drive or music) to lure victims. Shoulder surfing involves physically observing someone's screen or keyboard to steal information. Quid pro quo social engineering offers a service or benefit in exchange for information or access. None of these fit the described phone-based impersonation with a fabricated storyline, which is characteristic of pretexting.