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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 uses voice communication (phone calls) as its attack vector.. 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 IT department. The caller says there is a security breach and asks the user to provide their username and password immediately. 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
Incorrect: Phishing typically occurs via email, not over the phone.
B
Best answer
Vishing
Correct: Vishing (voice phishing) is a phone-based social engineering attack where the attacker impersonates a legitimate entity to extract confidential information.
C
Distractor review
Smishing
Incorrect: Smishing uses SMS text messages to trick users, not phone calls.
D
Distractor review
Pretexting
Incorrect: Pretexting is the creation of a false scenario to obtain information, but the delivery method here (phone call) makes vishing the more specific term.
Answer analysis
Why the other options are wrong
Understanding why incorrect options are tempting is as important as knowing the correct answer.
- ✗
Phishing
Incorrect: Phishing typically occurs via email, not over the phone.
- ✗
Smishing
Incorrect: Smishing uses SMS text messages to trick users, not phone calls.
- ✗
Pretexting
Incorrect: Pretexting is the creation of a false scenario to obtain information, but the delivery method here (phone call) makes vishing the more specific term.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Candidates might incorrectly choose Pretexting because a false scenario is created, but Vishing is the more specific term for a phone-based attack.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
Vishing, a portmanteau of 'voice' and 'phishing,' is a specialized form of social engineering that leverages voice communication, typically over the phone, to trick individuals into divulging sensitive information or performing actions that benefit the attacker. In this scenario, the attacker's use of a phone call to impersonate an IT department representative and demand credentials immediately is the defining characteristic that makes vishing the correct answer. The urgency and the medium are key indicators. Attackers often employ tactics like creating a sense of emergency or authority to pressure victims into making hasty decisions, which is evident in the caller's claim of a 'security breach' requiring immediate action. This direct, real-time verbal interaction distinguishes vishing from other forms of social engineering that rely on text-based or visual cues. While pretexting involves creating a believable false scenario to manipulate a victim, vishing specifically refers to the delivery method of that pretext via a phone call. Therefore, vishing is a more precise and accurate classification for this particular attack. Phishing, by contrast, is primarily email-based, using malicious links or attachments. Smishing utilizes SMS text messages for its delivery. Understanding these distinctions based on the communication channel is crucial for identifying and mitigating different types of social engineering attacks, a core competency tested in the CompTIA A+ certification.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Vishing uses voice communication (phone calls) as its attack vector.
- Attackers often impersonate trusted entities like IT support or banks.
- The goal of vishing is to trick victims into revealing confidential data.
- Vishing frequently employs urgency or threats to pressure 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 uses voice communication (phone calls) as its attack vector.
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More questions from this exam
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Question 1
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Question 2
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Question 3
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Question 4
A company requires employees to present both a smart card and a PIN to log into their workstations. Which authentication principle is being implemented?
Question 5
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Question 6
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1102 question test?
Vishing uses voice communication (phone calls) as its attack vector.
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. The attacker uses fear or urgency to trick the victim into revealing sensitive information. Phishing is email-based, smishing is SMS-based, and pretexting involves creating a fabricated scenario (which is part of this call, but the call itself is vishing).
What should I do if I get this 220-1102 question wrong?
Review vishing uses voice communication (phone calls) as its attack vector., then practise related 220-1102 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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More 220-1102 practice questions
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- A company requires employees to present both a smart card and a PIN to log into their workstations. Which authentication…
- A company requires all Windows 10 workstations to be able to join an Active Directory domain. Which edition of Windows 1…
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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.