Which type of security breach involves unauthorized access and retrieval of sensitive data?

The correct answer is related to a specific form of security incident where sensitive information is accessed or retrieved without authorization. A data breach typically involves the exposure of confidential, personal, or sensitive data, often affecting individuals or organizations.

In this context, a data breach is characterized by the unauthorized access to databases or systems containing sensitive information, such as personal identification details, financial records, or proprietary business documents. This unauthorized access can occur through various means, including hacking techniques, exploiting vulnerabilities, or even physical theft of devices containing data. The primary consequence of a data breach is the potential for misuse of the stolen information, which can lead to identity theft, financial loss, or damaging reputations.

The other options reflect different types of security threats, but they do not specifically pertain to the unauthorized access and retrieval of sensitive data. For instance, phishing attacks involve tricking individuals into providing sensitive information but do not necessarily indicate that a breach has occurred on the system level. Denial of service attacks aim to make a system unavailable to users rather than stealing data. Malware infections often refer to malicious software that can cause various damages, but they encompass a range of activities and do not specifically focus on the unauthorized retrieval of data in the same way that a data breach does