The type of surveillance requiring permission from the attorney general is known as?

The correct answer refers to electronic surveillance, which involves techniques such as wiretapping, monitoring communications, or using devices to intercept private transmissions. This type of surveillance requires compliance with specific legal standards and often necessitates permission from higher authorities, such as the attorney general, to ensure that individuals' rights are protected under the law.

Electronic surveillance is tightly regulated due to potential invasions of privacy and the implications for constitutional rights, such as the Fourth Amendment in the United States, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. This regulation is crucial to balance national security interests and public safety with the fundamental rights of individuals.

In contrast, physical surveillance involves observing individuals through visible means and does not generally require the same level of legal permission, as it does not infringe on communications privacy. Confidential surveillance typically relates to situations involving discretion but does not specifically pertain to legal permissions needed from authorities. Covert surveillance might refer to methods used without the subject's knowledge but still doesn't inherently require attorney general approval as electronic surveillance does.