What is a common technique used by adversaries to extract personal information?

The correct choice highlights a fundamental tactic employed by adversaries to obtain sensitive personal information. Information gathering techniques encompass a variety of methods that individuals or groups may use to collect data about their targets. This can include both direct approaches, such as phishing or pretexting, and indirect methods, like observing social media activity or utilizing public records. By leveraging these techniques, adversaries can systematically compile details that may seem innocuous on their own but can be combined to form a comprehensive profile of an individual, leading to identity theft, espionage, or other malicious activities.

In contrast, social networking is a platform where such information gathering can occur but does not specifically refer to the techniques themselves. Cybersecurity training is designed to prevent and mitigate such information extraction rather than facilitate it, and secure communication methods aim to protect information rather than gather it. Understanding the nuances of information gathering techniques is crucial in counterintelligence as it helps individuals recognize and respond to potential threats effectively.