The answer is phishing and shoulder surfing. These two are correct because social engineering attacks exploit human psychology and interaction rather than technical vulnerabilities, tricking people into revealing sensitive information or granting unauthorized access. Phishing uses deceptive emails or messages to lure victims into clicking malicious links or sharing credentials, while shoulder surfing involves directly observing someone’s screen or keystrokes to steal data. On the CompTIA ITF+ FC0-U61 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between human-focused attacks and purely technical ones like DDoS, brute force, or man-in-the-middle—a common trap is confusing phishing with technical exploits. A helpful memory tip: if the attack relies on tricking a person, not breaking a system, it’s social engineering.
FC0-U61 Security Practice Question
This FC0-U61 practice question tests your understanding of security. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. 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.
Which TWO of the following are examples of social engineering attacks?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Shoulder surfing
Phishing and shoulder surfing rely on human interaction to obtain sensitive information, whereas DDoS, brute force, and man-in-the-middle are technical attacks.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
DDoS
Why it's wrong here
A DDoS attack overwhelms a server with traffic, not social engineering.
✓
Shoulder surfing
Why this is correct
Shoulder surfing involves observing a user's screen or keyboard to capture information.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Brute force
Why it's wrong here
A brute force attack attempts many password combinations, typically automated.
✗
Man-in-the-middle
Why it's wrong here
MITM intercepts communications, often technical rather than social.
✓
Phishing
Why this is correct
Phishing uses deceptive emails or messages to trick users into revealing credentials.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the FC0-U61 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which FC0-U61 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Security — This question tests Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Shoulder surfing — Phishing and shoulder surfing rely on human interaction to obtain sensitive information, whereas DDoS, brute force, and man-in-the-middle are technical attacks.
What should I do if I get this FC0-U61 question wrong?
Identify which FC0-U61 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Which TWO of the following are examples of social engineering attacks?
easy
A.Adware
B.Spoofing
✓ C.Tailgating
✓ D.Phishing
E.Shoulder surfing
Why C: Tailgating (option C) is a social engineering attack where an unauthorized person physically follows an authorized individual into a restricted area, bypassing access controls such as card readers or biometric scanners. This exploits human courtesy or inattention rather than technical vulnerabilities, making it a classic social engineering technique.
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
This FC0-U61 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 FC0-U61 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.