Which term describes publishing personal information found in public databases and social media?

• A. Vulnerability
• B. Doxing
• C. Information Security
• D. Bot

Answer: (B)

Doxing is the act of publishing personal information found in public databases and on social media. It involves collecting and exposing identifying details—such as a person’s real name, address, phone number, workplace, or other private data—and sharing them publicly with the intention to harass, threaten, or harm. This often draws from a mix of public records, social profiles, and data gathered from various sources to create a more complete profile. This is different from a vulnerability, which is a flaw in a system that could be exploited; information security, the broad practice of protecting information and systems; and a bot, which is automated software performing tasks.