Which of the following terms describes a breach that occurs when malicious firmware is installed?

The term that accurately describes a breach involving the installation of malicious firmware is firmware exploitation. This type of attack targets the firmware, which is the low-level software programmed into hardware devices, such as routers, hard drives, and even some peripheral devices. When malicious actors successfully exploit vulnerabilities in this firmware, they can install harmful code that can compromise the device's operations, allow for data exfiltration, or provide backdoor access to the system.

Firmware exploitation is particularly dangerous because it often operates below the level of the operating system, making it harder to detect and remove. Attackers can exploit weaknesses, such as insecure update processes or factory reset vulnerabilities, to gain control over the hardware. This type of breach can lead to persistent threats, as compromised firmware may survive regular software updates and traditional security measures.

While phishing refers to deceptive tactics to obtain sensitive information, malware is a broader category that encompasses any malicious software, not specifically tied to firmware. A Remote Access Trojan (RAT) represents a specific type of malware designed for remote control, but it doesn’t inherently imply the exploitation of firmware. Thus, firmware exploitation precisely encapsulates the type of breach described in the question.