What is the social engineering technique that involves executing malicious software on a victim's computer?

Pharming is a social engineering technique that involves redirecting users from legitimate websites to fraudulent ones, often with the goal of stealing sensitive information. However, this type of attack primarily relies on manipulating DNS settings or using malware to affect how users reach websites, rather than directly executing malicious software on the victim's computer.

The correct answer to the question, indicating the execution of malicious software on a victim's computer, would actually relate more closely to forms of attacks that deliver malware, rather than the act of redirecting web traffic that pharming represents. Techniques like phishing, which involves tricking individuals into providing personal information, can lead to malware installation when users unknowingly engage with malicious links.

In the context of social engineering, pretexting would refer to creating a fabricated scenario to steal information from a target, which may not necessarily involve executing malware but could set a foundation for such an attack.

Understanding these distinctions is essential in digital forensics and cybersecurity, particularly when evaluating how different techniques interact and the methods used by cybercriminals to compromise systems and data.