Which of the following statements describes reverse social engineering?

• A. The attacker impersonates a trusted source and the user requests help
• B. The user initiates contact after a prompt
• C. The attacker creates a need and the user asks for help
• D. The attacker contacts the user for help after creating a need

Answer: (C)

Reverse social engineering relies on the attacker engineering a problem so the target believes they need help, and then the target reaches out for assistance. The attacker positions themselves as a trusted helper, making it believable that they’re the person to contact for a fix. That exact sequence—creating a need and the user asking for help—is why this option is the best description.

If the scenario describes the attacker impersonating a trusted source and the user requesting help, that points more to a standard social engineering setup rather than the reverse pattern. If the attacker is the one initiating contact after creating a need, that isn’t aligned with reverse social engineering, where the user initiates contact seeking help after recognizing the need.