The event of unauthorized access to data by exploiting a vulnerability is called a

• A. Breach
• B. Security incident
• C. Hacking
• D. Phishing

Answer: (A)

When a weakness in a system is exploited to gain unauthorized access to data, the event is a breach. A data breach specifically refers to the exposure or theft of information as a result of breaking into or bypassing security controls. This focuses on the outcome—data being accessed by someone who shouldn’t have it.

A security incident is a broader term that covers any event that threatens information security, which can include things that don’t involve actual data access. Hacking describes the attacker’s action to intrude, but the term breach emphasizes the consequence—data exposure. Phishing is a method used to deceive people into giving up credentials or information, not the direct exploitation of a vulnerability to access data.