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220-1102 Practice Question: A user receives a phone call from someone…
This 220-1102 practice question tests your understanding of a user receives a phone call from someone…. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. A key principle to apply: vishing is a social engineering attack conducted via telephone calls.. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A user receives a phone call from someone claiming to be from the company's IT help desk. The caller says they are performing a security audit and need the user's login credentials to verify their account access. Which type of social engineering attack is this?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Distractor review
Phishing
Phishing usually involves fraudulent emails or websites, not direct phone calls. This attack uses voice, so it is vishing.
B
Best answer
Vishing
Correct. Vishing is voice phishing, where the attacker uses phone calls to deceive the victim into providing confidential information.
C
Distractor review
Smishing
Smishing is phishing conducted via SMS text messages, not phone calls.
D
Distractor review
Pretexting
Pretexting involves creating a false pretext or story, but it can be done through various mediums. While the caller is using a pretext, the specific phone-based nature makes vishing a more precise term.
Answer analysis
Why the other options are wrong
Understanding why incorrect options are tempting is as important as knowing the correct answer.
- ✗
Phishing
Phishing usually involves fraudulent emails or websites, not direct phone calls. This attack uses voice, so it is vishing.
- ✗
Smishing
Smishing is phishing conducted via SMS text messages, not phone calls.
- ✗
Pretexting
Pretexting involves creating a false pretext or story, but it can be done through various mediums. While the caller is using a pretext, the specific phone-based nature makes vishing a more precise term.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Candidates might be tempted by 'Pretexting' because a false story is used, but 'Vishing' is more specific to the phone-call delivery method.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
Vishing, a portmanteau of 'voice' and 'phishing,' is a social engineering technique where attackers use telephone calls to trick individuals into divulging sensitive information. In this scenario, the attacker directly calls the user, impersonating an IT help desk representative and creating a sense of urgency and authority by claiming to perform a 'security audit.' The request for login credentials is a classic vishing tactic, exploiting trust and fear to bypass security protocols. The mechanical aspect involves the attacker's ability to manipulate the victim through spoken word, often using caller ID spoofing to appear legitimate or employing scripts designed to elicit specific responses. The key differentiator here is the medium of communication: a direct phone call. This immediately rules out phishing (email/website-based) and smishing (SMS-based) because those rely on different communication channels, even though the underlying goal of deception is similar. While pretexting is indeed occurring—the attacker is creating a false story or 'pretext' about a security audit—vishing is a more specific classification that describes the *method* of delivery for that pretext, making it the most precise answer for a phone-based attack.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Vishing is a social engineering attack conducted via telephone calls.
- Attackers impersonate trusted entities like IT support or banks.
- The goal is to trick victims into revealing confidential information.
- Vishing often exploits urgency, fear, or authority to manipulate victims.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Vishing is a social engineering attack conducted via telephone calls.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1102 question test?
Vishing is a social engineering attack conducted via telephone calls.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Vishing — Vishing (voice phishing) is a social engineering attack conducted over the phone, where the attacker impersonates a legitimate entity to trick the victim into revealing sensitive information. Phishing is typically via email, smishing via SMS, and pretexting involves creating a fabricated scenario to obtain information, but the medium here is voice, making vishing the correct classification.
What should I do if I get this 220-1102 question wrong?
Review vishing is a social engineering attack conducted via telephone calls., then practise related 220-1102 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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This 220-1102 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1102 exam.